GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Lander baseball
team nailed its biggest win of the season Saturday afternoon when
the Bearcats upset No. 7-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State
University, 5-4, in a Peach Belt Conference game at Legion Field.In winning its fourth straight game, Lander improves to 19-7 overall and 4-3 in the PBC, while the Pirates fall to 21-2-1, 3-1. The two teams will meet at 12 p.m., Sunday, for a doubleheader at Legion Field.
The Bearcats' James Compo scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning when he led off with a triple and went home on Kevin Davis' sacrifice fly to centerfield.
The loss was the second straight for AASU, which fell to Kutztown, 8-5, on Thursday.
Brad Hay (4-1) recorded the victory in relief, striking out two, walking one, and allowing one hit in two innings pitched. Starter Derek Wilson went seven innings, striking out three, walking five and allowing four earned runs on seven hits.
Austin Ducey (3-1) was the losing pitcher. Ducey walked one and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in three innings pitched.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when lead-off hitter Truman Marek singled, advanced to second on Pete Gundolff's sacrifice bunt, went to third on Miguel Donate's sacrifice fly and scored on Daniel Heflin's RBI single.
Lander took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning when Jonathan Myers walked, stole second and went home on Radley Raven's RBI single up the middle. Raven stole second, Compo walked and Davis singled to load the bases. Gabe McCann then lined a two-RBI single to centerfield.
The Pirates took a 4-3 in the fifth. Gundolff belted a two-run homer down the right field line. Heflin doubled to left center and scored on Sean Hotzak's RBI single to left field.
Lander tied the Pirates at 4-4 in the sixth inning when Compo walked then went home on a throwing error by Ducey to first base.
For Lander, Compo went 1-for-2 with one triple and three runs scored; Myers 2-for-3, one double, one run scored; Raven 2-for-3, one run scored; Davis 2-for-3, one RBI; and Gabe McCann 2-for-4 with two RBI.
For AASU, Gundolff went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI; Heflin 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI; and Hotzak 2-for-4 with one RBI.