USCB’s doubleheader sweep clinches Sun Conference Tournament berth

Wade Arduini homered, sent the game to extra innings in the ninth and drove home the winning run in the 11th to give USCB Beaufort a 7-6 victory over Thomas and a sweep of Saturday's baseball doubleheader at Thomasville, Ga.

The Sand Sharks had a much easier time in the opener, scoring eight runs in the first four innings on the way to a 9-4 triumph. The sweep gave USCB two of three in the series and clinched a berth in next month's Sun Conference Tournament.

A trio of seventh-inning runs pushed Thomas to a 6-5 lead before Arduini provided the first act of his heroics in the ninth, driving home pinch runner Noah Matthews after Bobby Wenthe had stroked a one-out double.

The combo came through again in the 11th when Arduini's two-out single brought Matthews home. Nick Constan sealed it by retiring Thomas in order for the third consecutive inning.

Arduini also blasted a two-run homer in the third, while Brandon Joyce had a solo homer among his two hits.

Wenthe and Alex Murphy both homered in the opener, with Murphy delivering a three-run shot in the fifth. Nick Payne went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Justin Kortessis earned the win with eight solid innings of nine hits and six strikeouts.

This story was originally published April 16, 2017 at 2:06 PM with the headline "USCB’s doubleheader sweep clinches Sun Conference Tournament berth."