AIKEN, S.C.----The No. 8-seeded Lander softball team defeated No. 9 UNC Pembroke, 10-6, then upset No. 3 Augusta State, 2-0, Saturday in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament and advanced to the third round of the loser's bracket at Citizen's Field. (Peach Belt Conference Tournament website)

The Bearcats, who improve to 26-27-1, will play an undetermined opponent at 11 a.m. Sunday. In the bottom half of the loser's bracket, the No. 5 USC Upstate/No. 6 Francis Marion winner will meet the No. 4 Armstrong Atlantic/No. 2 Georgia College winner for the right to play Lander. Those games were being played Saturday night. The winner's bracket final will be the AASU/GCSU winner vs. top-seeded Columbus State. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)

#8 Lander 2, No. 3 Augusta State 0
Austin Murray evened her pitching record at 7-7 with the two-hit, shutout. Murray struck out three and walked four in the complete seven innings. Augusta State's Jacklyn Benenhaley (3-2) took the loss, striking out one, walking two and allowing one earned run on three hits in five innings.

Lander took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when All-Peach Belt catcher Melissa Ryals scored on Rachelle Lawrence's RBI single. The Bearcats stretched the margin to 2-0 in the seventh when Sara Senn walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch then scored on Heather Bishop's RBI single.

For Lander, Bishop went 2-for-4 with one RBI for Lander.

#8 Lander 10, #9 UNC Pembroke 6
Melissa Ryals and Colleen Leggieri hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and Leggieri added one more in the fifth Saturday to lead Lander to a 10-6 victory over UNC Pembroke in a second round game of the Peach Belt Conference tournament.

UNCP ends its season at 23-32.

Ashlea Burdette (12-8) earned the win for Lander, walking one and allowing five earned runs on eight hits in four innings pitched. Murray picked up her second save of the season, striking out one and allowing one earned run on two hits in three innings.

UNCP's Candace Evans (16-21) was the losing pitcher, walking one, and allowing six earned runs on nine hits in five innings.

Ryals' three-run blast in the first inning was followed by Leggieri's solo homer to give Lander a quick 4-0 lead. The Lady Braves tied the game at 4-4 in the second inning. Lander added two runs each in the second, fifth and sixth innings.

For Lander, Ryals went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and five RBI, Leggieri went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI and Bishop went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.

For UNCP, Katie Rubio went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, Candace Evans went 2-for-3 with one run scored and Ashton Locklear went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.