Baseball Wins at Lander

GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Lions baseball team defeated Lander 5-2 Saturday afternoon at Dolny Stadium. The Lions improved to 7-2 overall while the Bearcats fell to 2-7 on the season.

Matt Honeycutt led the Lions offensively going 2-4 with a double and a pair of RBI. Daniel Vitello was also 2-4 while Shomarii Thomas went 1-2 with a double and two runs scored. Alec Bivens obtained the win (2-1) pitching six innings scattering three hits and allowing just one earned run. Bivens struck out nine batters. Jared Matthews threw the final three innings to pick up his first save on the season. He allowed only two hits and no runs while striking out five batters.

Colton Yeager and Chuck Lawing led the Bearcats with one hit and one RBI apiece to account for Lander's runs. Carson Jones went 1-4 with a double. Tripper Ergle suffered the loss (0-1) for the Bearcats on the mound throwing 1.2 innings in relief.

A single by Yeager in the first inning scored Bailey Connell to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead. A double by Thomas in the second inning sent Honeycutt to plate to tie the contest at 1-all. Honeycutt led the inning off by hitting a double.

Lander's second run was scored on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch in their fourth at-bat. The Lions tied the game in the fifth inning on a Lander error.

Mars Hill put the game away in the seventh inning scoring three runs on two hits highlighted by a two-RBI single from Honeycutt. The Lions' defense held strong and the visitors took game one by a score of 5-2.

The Bearcats and Lions will meet tomorrow for a double-header to complete the three game series. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.