USCB baseball put together a late rally Monday night, but the Sand Sharks couldn’t catch up to Sun Conference foe Southeastern in a 10-5 decision, suffering their first loss in the NAIA Opening Round Lakeland Bracket.
The top-seeded Fire got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, plating three runs on a pair of hits with RBI knocks from Pedro Castellano and Luis Cabrera. USCB battled back in the second inning to cut the lead to a single run, as Tavaris Terrell connected on a run-scoring single before Brian Meyer grounded out to send another across.
Southeastern kept the impressive offense rolling, scoring six straight runs to take a commanding 9-2 lead after six innings. The Sand Sharks broke the drought in the seventh with a Meyer single that found the grass through the left side, but the Fire restored the seven-run lead in the eighth with Castellano’s third RBI hit of the contest.
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USCB put the pressure on in the top of the ninth, as Meyer, Leandy Castro, and Clint Sellers began the frame with three straight walks. Russ ripped a single to bring home a run, and an Alexander Humphrey fielder’s choice trimmed the lead to just five, but the rally quickly came to an end as two consecutive USCB outs sealed the Southeastern win.
Humphrey led the Sand Shark offense, going 2-for-5 with a single, double, and RBI while Nick Milhan collected a pair of hits and scored a run. Meyer drove in two runs on the evening, and the duo of Russ and Terrell notched a single and RBI each.
USCB (32-22) looks to keep its season alive Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against the winner of the Fisher (Mass.) vs. Bryan (Tenn.) matchup earlier in the day.
By Wes Kerr