GREENWOOD – Hayley Leissner and Shelbey Spencer combined for a no-hit, shutout Sunday afternoon to lead the Lander softball team to an 8-0 victory and a non-conference, doubleheader split against Pfeiffer University at Doug Spears Field. Pfeiffer won the first game of the twinbill, 6-0. (Game 1 Boxscore | Game 2 Boxscore)
Lander moves to 14-16 overall, while Pfeiffer is 14-18. The Bearcats' 14 victories equals the number of wins the team had last season. Lander will host Columbus State University at 4 p.m., Monday, March 22, in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Spears Field.
Marilyn Newman set the pace for the Bearcats with a solo homer in the first inning and Brittney Sheriff scored on a double steal to make it 2-0.
The Bearcats extended the margin to 5-0 in the third. Daisy Stewart’s RBI double plated Sheriff, then Casey Corbitt’s two-RBI single scored Jacki Haisley and Haley Foster.
With bases loaded in the fourth, Sheriff scored on a wild pitch to give Lander a 6-0 lead. The eight-run rule came into effect in the fifth when Ashley Proctor scored on a pair of Pfeiffer errors and Newman’s RBI single plated Blair Hammonds.
Leissner (9-3) struck out three and walked two in four innings of work, while Spencer fanned two in one inning.
The Falcons' Allison Braswell (4-7) took the loss as she struck out two, and allowed five earned runs on six hits in 2.2 innings.
Lander, which pounded out 10 hits, was led by Newman (2-for-4) and Sheriff (2-for-2).
In the first game, Pfeiffer’s Melanie Conklin (3-1) earned the win as she struck out nine, walked one and allowed four hits in the complete seven innings.
Lander’s Spencer (3-8) took the loss as she struck out two and allowed two earned runs on three hits in two innings pitched.
Pfeiffer took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Rachel LaBar’s two-run homer over the left field fence.
The Falcons stretched the lead to 6-0 in the seventh. Bryttny Kreshka reached on a Lander error, advanced to second on Kylee Nichols’ sacrifice bunt, to third on Amber Johnson’s single and scored on another Lander error. Heather Nobles and Sarah Waylock followed with RBI doubles that plated Johnson, Nobles and Mariah Chalk.
Sheriff hit 2-for-3 for the Bearcats.
For Pfeiffer, Johnson and Waylock both went 3-for-4.
