HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - St. Thomas (23-9, 8-4 TSC) swept a doubleheader at host USCB (19-10, 7-5 TSC) Saturday to put Head Coach Jorge Perez over the 300 career wins mark.

St. Thomas won the first game of the doubleheader 9-7, then blew out USCB 16-2 in the second game in a contest that was called after seven innings.

With the wins, the Bobcats won the three-game series over the Sand Sharks and improved the career record for Coach Jorge Perez to 301-203 in his nine seasons at STU.

In Saturday's first game, STU ran out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first before USCB came back to tie the score 2-2.  The Bobcats exploded with a five-run fifth inning adding runs in the sixth and seventh to take a 9-4 lead into the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Sand Sharks rallied with three runs to cut the lead to two. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and runners on first and third, Brandon Valentin was called to action and delivered with a strikeout to end the USCB comeback.

Valentin would go on to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.  Valentin finished with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out two and walking none.

Kenny Roder started the game and earned the victory to improve to 5-1.  Roder struck out eight with no walks and allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits.

Offensively in game one, the Bobcats were led by German Morales who went 2-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Jack Diaz went 2-5 with two RBI and a sacrifice while Oscar Rodriguez recorded two RBI and two runs scored.

The second game of the doubleheader featured offensive fireworks for the Bobcats to go along with an excellent outing by starting pitcher Chris Rodriguez

The Bobcats started the scoring in the second inning with an RBI single by Morales that scored Daniel Lowry.  STU then put up four runs in the third highlighted by a 2-RBI triple by Michael Centeno.

In Centeno's next at bat, the senior crushed a 2-run home run, his team-leading 10th of the season, as part of a five-run fourth inning that put the game out of reach early.

The Bobcats continued to keep the pedal to the metal with three runs in the fifth that included fireworks from David Palenzuela who hit a solo home run, his sixth of the year.  

STU would go on to add runs in the sixth and seventh en route to the run rule ending game after seven innings.

Chris Rodriguez earned the win to improve to 5-1 on the season.  Rodriguez kept the Sand Sharks in check all game, allowing just one earned run on five hits while striking out four and walking one in seven innings pitched.

On the offensive end, Centeno finished with a 2-4 game with four RBI, a home run, a triple, and two runs scored.  

Orlando Rivera went 2-4 with three runs scored and a sacrifice bunt. Nick Canino also drove in two runs. 

The Bobcats return to action on Tuesday at NCAA DII Barry University in Miami Shores.

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