HARDEEVILLE,SC-The Sand Sharks baseball game dropped the final game of a three game series to Shawnee State on Wednesday 11-5 at the Richard Gray baseball Complex in Hardeeville. USCB, who won a doubleheader on Tuesday against Shawnee 3-1 and 7-6, saw their over-all record drop to 15-7.
 
The visiting Bears set the tone early as back to back doubles by Adam Wamsley and Danny Gesick followed by a single by Brian Ramey gave Shawnee a quick 2-0 lead after a half inning. 

The first batter for the Sand Sharks, David O'Neil, hit a vicious line drive off the arm of Shawnee starting pitcher Cory Pallutch. Pallutch had to be replaced by Zach Brooks who came on to pitch eight full innings, giving up only two runs and allowing five hits. Brooks threw 110 pitches to get the victory. O'Neil came around to score on a ground out by Jeremy Webb to cut the margin to 2-1. But that was a close as the Sand Sharks would come all day. 

Gesick hit a three run home run for the visiting Bears in the top of the third to put Shawnee ahead 5-1. The Sand Sharks cut the margin by one run as Brandon Cooksey walked, stole second base, advanced to third on a pass ball and scored on an O'Neil single. 

Shawnee picked up three runs in the sixth frame and another three in the seventh to give the Bears their eleven runs. Shawnee had 14 hits on the afternoon off five USCB pitchers. Gesick and Jordan Stum each contributed three hits for the Bears. Sand Sharks starter Jake Spano was the losing pitcher. 

The Sand Sharks loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs, scoring three runs on three hits before two ground outs ended the rally for USCB. O'Neil had three of the nine USCB hits on the day. 

USCB will be back in action on Thursday traveling to Savannah to play Savannah State in a single game starting at 2:00. The next home game for the Sand Sharks will be Sunday, March 14 as they host Oswego State in a doubleheader beginning at noon at the Richard Gray Baseball Complex.