DUE WEST, SC - Wes Burgess hit a three-run homer to lead the 28th-ranked Erskine Flying Fleet to a 10-3 rain-shortened victory over rival Lander University in non-conference baseball action Wednesday afternoon at Grier Field.
Erskine improved to 11-1 on the season while the Bearcats fell to 7-3.
After Erskine starting pitcher Jamie Sims walked the first three batters of the game, Russell Reid relieved and got out of the jam allowing only Jesse Barbaro's sacrifice fly that gave Lander a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Fleet would take the lead in the bottom of the second when freshman Burgess hit a two-out, three-run homer to right center.
The Bearcats pulled within 3-2 in the fourth when Kevin Davis singled, advanced to second on Nick Roxby's single and scored on Radley Raven's double.
Erskine responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth for an 8-2 lead on a two-run single by Kris Anderson, an RBI single by Robbie Knapp, and two bases-loaded walks.
Adam Hutchins homered in the top of the fifth for Lander's final run.
Newman's two-run double closed the scoring for the Flying Fleet in the bottom of the fifth.
Erskine was led at the plate by Burgess, who was 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, and Andersen who was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Reid picked up the win, pitching six innings of relief striking out six and allowing two runs.
Hutchins and Raven led the Bearcats, each going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Jake Hover took the loss allowing four earned runs in 3.1 innings of work while Evan Christian worked in relief.
