GREENWOOD - Eric Weiss homered and Iain Sebastian took a shutout into the eighth inning, leading No. 10 Columbus State to a 4-1 Peach Belt Conference victory over the Lander Bearcats Saturday afternoon in the PBC series opener at Legion Field, which is hosting Lander games for the final time this weekend.
The Bearcats (24-21, 6-16 PBC) will play their last games of the 2010 season when they host Columbus State (37-10, 14-7) again Sunday for a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. It will also be Lander Senior Day as the school honors seniors Bud Lanier, Devin Ridlehoover and Drew Elliott.
The Bearcats will be moving to the new Stephen B. Dolny Baseball Stadium at the Jeff May Complex in 2011. Lander has played its home games at Legion Field since starting its baseball program in 1998.
Columbus took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Ryan Lewis walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a passed ball, and scored on Mitch Rider's double into the left-field corner.
The Cougars increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth when Alex Montes doubled into the left-field corner and scored on a single by Jason Rogers, his 75th RBI of the season.
Columbus State made it 4-0 in the seventh when Eric Skinner doubled to center, and Weiss homered over the right-field fence, his ninth homer of the season.
Lander ended Sebastian's shutout bid in the eighth when Brooks Reames walked, moved to second when Robert Skinner was hit by a pitch, to third on a passed ball, and scored on Alan Abreu's ground out to second.
The Bearcats threatened in the ninth when Pete Hernandez walked, Lanier flied out to right center, and Ridlehoover walked. But Cougars closer Wade Dudley came on in relief and induced Joe Tebaldi to hit into a game-ending double play with second baseman Justin Pharr fielding the ball, stepping on second and throwing to first.
Sebastian (5-2) pitched 8.1 innings of three-hit ball, all singles, for the win. Most of Lander's base runners off Sebastian were on walks (six) or hit batsman (two). Dudley picked up his eighth save.
Cory Hopper (4-3) was the tough-luck loser for the Bearcats, allowing four runs on eight hits in nine complete innings, walking four and striking out one.
Robert Skinner was Lander's leading hitter, going 2-for-2 while being hit twice. Ryan McNulty had the Bearcats' only other hit.
Rider was Columbus's leading hitter, going 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Weiss was 1-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.
