SAND SHARKS SEASON ENDS WITH 8-4 DEFEAT
JEREMY WEBB GETS TWO HITS INCLUDING A HOME RUN IN LAST SAND SHARK GAME
5/20/2010 6:45:45 PM
CLEVELAND, TN-USCB lost 8-4 to William Jewell Thursday in NAIA Regional play ending a tremendous season for the Sand Sharks who completed only their second season of competition with a 39-15 record. USCB was the second seed in the Cleveland, TN regional finishing the tournament with a 1-2 record.
The Sand Sharks got on the board first scoring one run in the top of third. Spencer Jackson doubled and advanced to third on a David O’Neil sacrifice bunt. Brandon Collins than delivered an rbi single to left field to score Jackson.
Wiliam Jewell came right back in the bottom of the same frame against USCB starting pitcher, Ryan Philpott, scoring three runs on three walks and singles by Randy Cruz and Jason Demore.
An inning later, the Sand Sharks designated hitter, Jeremy Webb, playing in his final game for USCB, lifted a home run over the fence in right field to cut the Cardinals margin to 3-2.
But William Jewell scored three more runs in the sixth frame as the Cardinals took advantage of an error and a walk before Nick Steponovich and Nick Basham delivered key base hits giving them a 6-2 lead.
The Sand Sharks were not done yet though, loading the bases with no outs in the seventh as Jackson singled, O’Neil reached on an error and RJ Neal singled. Collins then worked William Jewell’s starting hurler Jamison Miller for a walk scoring Jackson. After a strike-out, Webb hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score O’Neil with the second run of the inning. Another strike-out ended the Sand Sharks rally, but USCB trimmed the Cardinal’s lead to 6-4.
The Cardinals went on to score single runs in both the seventh and eighth frames to push their lead to 8-4. USCB again loaded the bases in the top of the ninth before William Jewell’s closer, Ben Rister, shut down any thoughts of another patented Sand Shark rally.
Miller was the winning pitcher for William Jewell while Philpott was charged with loss. Four USCB hurlers gave up only four earned runs, but six base on balls, a hit batsman, and four errors helped seal the Sand Sharks fate.
The Sand Sharks outhit William Jewell 11-10 and stranded twelve base runners.
The second year Sand Sharks finished the 2010 campaign ranked 20th in the final NAIA national poll. Coach Rick Sofield ‘s team has a two year record of 72-36 and certainly will return to the field in 2011 with a veteran lineup and great optimism.