GREENWOOD – Lander freshman Hayley Leissner tossed her first collegiate no-hitter in the first game and Georgia Southwestern’s Ashley Harris smacked the game-winning solo home run in the seventh inning of the second game as the two teams split a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Doug Spears Field. Lander won the first game, 11-0, in five innings due to the mercy rule, and the Hurricanes took the second game, 6-1. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)
Lander moves to 13-19 overall and 2-8 in the PBC, while GSW is now 9-26, 1-8.
In the first game, Leissner had a perfect game going until she walked GSW’s Heather Chambers with two outs in the fifth inning. Leissner struck out five, walked two in five complete innings.
GSW’s Brittany Milstid (2-6) took the loss as she allowed three earned runs on three this in one inning pitched.
Lander took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning on Daisy Stewart’s two-run, home run over the left field fence.
The Bearcats erupted for seven runs in the second inning to take a 9-0 lead. Shelley Grimsley doubled to center field and advanced to third on Bree Shirley’s single to third base. Grimsley made it 3-0 on a GSW throwing error and Shirley stretched the margin to 4-0 when she scored on a fielder’s choice. Haley Foster scored on McKenzie Watt’s groundout then Watts crossed the plate on another GSW error to give Lander a 6-0 lead. With bases loaded and one out, Lindsey Sammons scored on Natalie Smith’s groundout to make it 7-0 and was followed by Grimsley’s two-run single.
Watts’ fourth-inning RBI single made it 10-0.
Leissner lost her bid for a perfect game in the top of the fifth when she walked Chambers.
For Lander, Grimsley went 2-for-3 with one double, while Stewart went 1-for-2 with one homer.
In the second game, GSW took a 1-0 lead in the third when Shea Weaver singled, advanced to second on a Lander fielding error, to third on Gabby Buck’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Nichole Griffin’s groundout.
Lander tied the game at 1-1 in the third when Pam Stephenson, pinch running for Carrie Hudson, scored on a GSW fielding error.
Harris broke the 1-1 tie with her solo homer in the seventh and was followed by Griffin’s grand slam over the right center field fence.
The Hurricanes’ Jessica Martin (3-7) picked up the win as she struck out seven, walked five and allowed no earned runs on six hits in the seven complete innings.
Lander’s Leissner (9-14) suffered the loss in relief as she struck out five, and allowed five earned runs on five hits in five innings pitched.
For GSW, Griffin went 2-for-4 with one homer and five RBI and Harris went 2-for-3 with one homer. Weaver went 2-for-4.
Lander’s Sammons went 2-for-4.
