Creek alum Martello claims PBC gold
From staff reports
USCB has its first Peach Belt Conference champion in indoor track and field, and it’s a familiar name in Beaufort.
Battery Creek alum Michael Martello claimed gold in the weight throw and placed third in the shot put Monday at the inaugural Peach Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Gainesville, Fla., earning all-conference honors in both events.
Martello was a state champion at Battery Creek and signed with Coastal Carolina, where he competed for two seasons before transferring to USCB this winter. In his first season competing in indoor season, Martello took quickly to the weight throw, and his mark of 49 feet, 1 inch was enough to claim the conference title, edging Embry-Riddle’s Chance Tressler by six inches.
Cameron Edwards also earned all-conference honors, finishing second in the long jump.
Softball splits at Mt. Olive round robin
The USCB softball team split four games over the weekend at the Mount Olive Round Robin, routing West Liberty twice but dropping two games to the host Trojans.
USCB’s potent offense was on display in Game 1, knocking off West Liberty, 15-1, but the Sand Sharks dropped Game 2, 4-1, to host Mount Olive.
Taelor Chang went 4-for-6 on the afternoon with six runs batted in and a home run. Third baseman Mariah Stephens also had a stellar performance, going 3-for-7 with five RBIs and a homer. Cassie Brundage picked up the win in Game 1 and was tabbed with the loss in Game 2.
The Sand Sharks settled for a split again Sunday, topping the Hilltoppers, 11-3, before falling, 8-4, to the Trojans in the finale.
The bats stayed hot in Game 1, putting up 11 runs on 12 hits. Second baseman Jaden Goodwin and left fielder Saria Simmons collected three hits each and combined for five runs batted in, while Devon Weller went yard for the first time this season.
In Game 2, the Trojans quickly jumped on Cierra Kinlaw (3-1), scoring four runs in the first. Stephens trimmed the lead to one after connecting for her fifth home run of the season in the fourth, but the Trojans broke it open with a three-run fifth.
The Sand Sharks (9-3) travel to face defending national champion North Georgia this weekend to open Peach Belt play.
Baseball drops pair to No. 21 St. Leo
USCB’s game 2 comeback fell just short, as the No. 21 Lions walked off the Sand Sharks in the nightcap, winning, 9-8, after taking the opener, 9-1, earlier in the day. Game 3 of the series was canceled due to weather.
Beaufort took the lead in the nightcap after Hunter Miller ripped a two-run double to the right-center gap to make it 4-3. SLU plated four in the bottom of the fifth, but USCB clawed its way back, scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh.
A throwing error in the eighth allowed USCB to tie the game at 7 heading into the ninth, and coach Ted Falkner called upon freshman closer Ian Barnes to preserve the tie. But a leadoff single and balk put the winning run in scoring position, and Yazael Nunez singled to right to end the game.
The Sand Sharks (3-6) were at home Tuesday against Middle Georgia and host Shepherd for a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m., Friday at Richard Gray Complex in Hardeeville.
Bright leads USCB to T-5th in Savannah
Ellis Bright continued his strong play this weekend at the Savannah Intercollegiate, carding a 1-over-par score for the tournament and finishing his third round 1-under to propel USCB up the leaderboard to finish tied for fifth.
The Trowbridge, England, native began his final round with a bogey on No. 5, but quickly moved back to even on the par-3 eighth. He carded a birdie at No. 11 and played bogey-free golf the rest of the way.
Beaufort returns to the links at the Rams Shootout at the Pines on March 4-5 in Southern Pines, N.C..
