DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The Lander baseball team won its fifth straight game Friday night when the Bearcats defeated No. 16-ranked North Georgia College & State University, 8-1, in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

Lander improves to 18-9 overall and 4-6 in the PBC, while North Georgia drops to 20-9, 9-4. The two teams will complete the three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

Cory Hopper (3-1) earned the win as he struck out seven, walked four and allowed one earned run on three hits in seven innings pitched.

North Georgia's Chris Rearick (6-1) took the loss, striking out nine, walking six and allowing four earned runs on five hits in 5.2 innings.

Lander took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ryan McNulty walked, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Bud Lanier's RBI single.

North Georgia's Brad Hall tied the game at 1-1 when he reached home on Craig Brisson's fielder's choice.

The Bearcats responded with three runs in the sixth inning to claim a 4-1 advantage. Joe Tebaldi's RBI single plated Devin Ridlehoover, Brooks Reames scored on Robert Skinner's bases-loaded walk and Tebaldi walked home when Jordan Owens was hit by a pitch.

Lander stretched the lead to 8-1 in the eighth as Michael Vesnesky and Pete Hernandez hit RBI singles that scored Hunter Dowis and Skinner, then Reames and Tebaldi both had bases-loaded walks which sent Vesnesky and Hernandez home.

For Lander, Lanier batted 3-for-6 with one RBI.