SALISBURY, NC -- Jerry Sands broke the Catawba record for career home runs as the No. 23-ranked Indians defeated visiting Lander 9-5 in baseball action on Tuesday night at Newman Park.

Catawba improve to 34-14 overall, while Lander slips to 18-26.

Catawba jumped out to an 8-0 lead after three innings. Chad Baker scored from first on a throwing error in the opening frame and Catawba tacked on five more in the second, capped by a Sands three-run homer.

The Indians added two more runs in the third and Keith Carrigan shutout Lander for five innings on four hits with four strikeouts. Brooks Arnette put Lander on the board in the sixth with a solo home run and the Bearcats went on to add four more before the inning was over.

Two singles followed a hit batter to load the bases and AJ Nunziato drew a bases loaded walk. Alex Baur singled home two runs and another scored on an error to close the gap to 8-5 before Brett Hatley got out of the inning with the bases again loaded.

David Thomas added a solo home run for Catawba in the sixth which closed out the scoring. Three Catawba relievers allowed just one hit over the final three innings to secure the win. Thomas, Baker and Hatley each had two hits for Catawba.

Baur had three hits for Lander, while TJ Guinan collected a pair of hits.