GREENWOOD----The Lander softball team, under the direction of first-year coach Lee Dobbins, split its second non-conference doubleheader in as many days Sunday when it played Queens University. Queens won the first game, 5-2, in a tiebreaker, and Lander claimed the second game, 8-2. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)
Lander is 2-2 overall and Queens is 1-1.
First Game (Queens 5, Lander 2)
Brittany Harkey blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence and Cynthia Ochoa advanced home on a passed ball in the international rule tiebreaker to win the first game, 5-2.
Meg Barker (1-0) earned the win, striking out five, walking one and allowing two earned runs on six hits in eight innings pitched. Lander's Jenna Kellett (0-1) took the loss, striking out six, walking four and allowing four earned runs on six hits in eight innings.
Lander took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning with bases loaded and no outs when Melissa Ryals sacrificed to right field to score both Heather Bishop and Jenna Kellett.
Queens' Harkey went 1-for-4 with two RBI, while Kari Kemetic went 2-for-4.
Lander's Lib Harris went 1-for-3 with one double.
Queens forced the tiebreaker in the seventh when Ochoa singled in two runs with bases loaded.
Second Game (Lander 8, Queens 2)
Lander took a commanding 4-0 lead in the first inning when Melissa Ryals singled in Heather Bishop, then Ryals and Leggieri scored on Keri Davis's two-run single. Davis advanced home on a passed ball.
Ashlea Burdette (2-0) was the winner, striking out 10, walking four and allowing two earned runs on eight hits. Queens' Shea Chaffee (0-1) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.
Queens cut the margin to 4-1 in the second when Harkey doubled in Noel Belk. In the third the Royals made it 4-2 when Danielle Woodford singled, advanced to second on Ochoa's sacrifice bunt, then stole third and went home on a throwing error by Lander shortstop Heather Bishop.
With bases loaded in the fifth, Burdette blasted a two-run double to right field that scored Sara Senn and Leggieri and Rachelle Lawrence drove in Davis. Lander made it 8-2 in the sixth when Davis drove in Ryals.
For Queens, Belk went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI and Woodford went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
For Lander, Davis went 3-for-4 with one double, two runs scored and three RBI; Ryals went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI and Leggieri went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
