GREENWOOD----The Lander softball team captured its biggest win of the season Thursday afternoon when the Bearcats upset No. 6-ranked USC Upstate, 3-2, in the first half of a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader. The Spartans, the favorite to win the PBC title this season, came back to win the second game, 7-4, in extra innings.

Lander moves to 6-11-1 overall and 1-3 in the PBC, while Upstate is 7-1, 1-1.

In the first game, Lander rallied for two runs in the sixth to claim the win. Melissa Ryals doubled and advanced on Colleen Leggieri's single. Ryals scored on Keri Davis' RBI single. Davis then scored on Lib Harris' groundout to short stop.

Ashlea Burdette (5-4) earned the victory, striking out three, walking one and allowing two earned runs on five hits in the complete seven innings. USC Upstate's Jessica Jolley (2-1) took the loss in relief, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in 2.2 innings pitched.

For Lander, Heather Bishop (1-for-3, one run), Melissa Ryals (2-for-3, one run) and Lib Harris (1-for-3) all doubled.

In the second game, Lander forced the game into extra innings when Ryals and Leggieri scored on Burdette's bases-loaded single.

But it was all Upstate in the eighth. Teresa Haynes reached when she was hit by a pitch and later scored on Katie Adams' groundout to shortstop. Jena Keith's two-RBI single plated Shay Slater and Heidi Gibbs.

Jolly (3-1) earned the win in relief, striking out one, walking two and allowing just one hit in 1.2 innings pitched. Jenna Kellett (1-4) took the loss, striking out four, walking three and allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in the complete eight innings.

Lander took an early 1-0 lead when Ryals scored on Leggieri's RBI triple. Upstate tied the game in the third (1-1) when Slater scored on Tiffany Pitcher's fielder's choice. Lander resumed the lead (2-1) in the bottom of the inning on Ryals' solo home run.

Upstate came back in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead on Jamie Amerine's two-RBI single, then the Spartans stretched the lead to 4-2 in the sixth when Gibbs doubled in Teresa Haynes.

For Lander, Ryals went 3-for-5 with one home run, one double, three runs scored and one RBI, while Leggieri went 1-for-2 with one home run. Burdette went 2-for-4 and Davis 2-for-4.

For Upstate, Gibbs (4-for-4, one run, one RBI), Slater (3-for-5, two runs) and, Keith (1-for-4, two RBI) all doubled.