Sand Sharks just miss softball doubleheader sweep of Rio Grande

Carrie Cochran’s grand slam backed another shutout performance from Abby Pac, leading USC Beaufort to a 7-0 romp over No.24 Rio Grande to give the Sand Sharks a split of their softball doubleheader.

The Sand Sharks nearly made it a sweep of their ranked opponents, but Rio Grande scored four unearned run in the fifth inning of the nightcap and USCB saw the potential tying run gunned down in the bottom of the sixth in a 4-3 defeat.

Pac notched her third shutout of the season in the opener, scattering seven hits and striking out six. The Sand Sharks got RBI singles from Bailee Barker and Haley Hawkins for a 2-0 lead in the second, and Kayla Boyle’s RBI single in the fifth preceded Cochran’s grand slam.

USCB trailed 4-1 midway through the fifth inning of the nightcap, then pulled within two on Brittany Olean’s RBI double in the bottom of the inning. Natassja Hatcher doubled home another run in the sixth, but Cochran was cut down at the plate while trying to tie the game.

The Sand Sharks had another chance in the seventh when Olean singled and stole second, but Boyle’s line drive to left was snagged by Carly Skeese to end the game.

This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Sand Sharks just miss softball doubleheader sweep of Rio Grande."