Bluffton, SC - The Albany State Golden Rams staged an impressive comeback to defeat the USC Beaufort Sandsharks 9-5 in the series opener on Friday evening at Hardeeville. After falling behind 0-5 through four innings, the Golden Rams turned the tide with a four-run fifth inning and a dominant five-run eighth to secure their second consecutive victory. With the win, Albany State improves to 2-2 on the season, while the Sandsharks drop to 0-5.

USC Beaufort started strong, scoring three runs in the second inning and adding two more in the fourth. The Sandsharks' offense was fueled by key hits from Nick Campbell and Logan Doty, while starting pitcher Aidan Simmons held the Golden Rams scoreless through four frames. However, Albany State's defense tightened up, holding the Sandsharks scoreless over the final four innings.

The Golden Rams' offense came alive in the fifth inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues and timely hitting. Hayden Corley sparked the rally with an RBI single, and Albany State took advantage of two errors to cut the deficit to 4-5. After several scoreless frames, the Golden Rams exploded for five runs in the eighth, highlighted by an RBI single from Tyrese Turner, a clutch double from Emory Stephens, and a two-run single by Andrew Roberts to put the game out of reach.

Pitcher Luke Kiefer (1-0) was instrumental in the comeback, entering in the fourth inning and shutting down the Sandsharks' offense. Kiefer tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 11. Caleb Baker closed out the ninth with a dominant inning to seal the victory.

Up Next
With momentum on their side, the Golden Rams will look to keep their winning streak alive as the series against USC Beaufort continues tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.