USCB’s Marissa Becker sets career hits mark to help ease twin losses

Marissa Becker became USC Beaufort's all-time hits leader and the Sand Sharks clinched the final berth in the Sun Conference softball tournament, though Saturday's results weren't as good on the field as they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to No.24 Warner.

Becker's two hits in the opener pushed her past Missy Hughes and Taylor Triplett with 201 for her career, but Warner's Chelsie Valentine largely kept the Sand Sharks in check in a 5-1 Warner victory. Natassja Hatcher's homer provided USCB's only run in a 9-1 loss in Game 2.

Despite the results, USCB clinched the final berth in next week's conference tournament when Keiser lost the opener of its doubleheader against Ave Maria. The Sand Sharks will face Ave Maria in their tournament opener May 4.

Becker tied the career hits mark when she slapped a single in the third inning of Saturday's opener, then duplicated the feat in the fifth to stand alone atop the USCB chart.

Neither managed to produce a run, though the Sand Sharks pulled within 3-1 one inning later and missed a chance to close the gap further when they left the bases loaded. Warner added two insurance runs in the seventh.

Warner's Paige Davis fired a three-hitter in the nightcap, with the only damage coming from Hatcher's homer in the second. Kaitlyn O'Hearn and Brittany Olean had USCB's other hits.

This story was originally published April 23, 2017 at 10:13 AM with the headline "USCB’s Marissa Becker sets career hits mark to help ease twin losses."