DUE WEST – Lander's Jeff May hit his first college home run and teammate A.J. Nunziato also homered, but the Bearcats fell short in a 9-8 non-conference loss at No. 17 Erskine College Wednesday afternoon.
Lander fell to 5-4 on the season while the Flying Fleet improved to 6-0.
The Bearcats led 4-1 going into the bottom of the third, but Erskine scored three in the bottom of the third on Drew Willingham's three-run homer, two in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 9-5 lead.
Lander scored twice in the sixth and once in the eighth, and had the potential tying run reach third base in the ninth but couldn't score.
Robert Skinner led the Bearcats, going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Marshall Creed was 2-for-4 while May and Nunziato each hit home runs.
Willingham was the hitting star for Erskine, going 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI, and three runs scored. Zack Smith was 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Brian Laznik was 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBI.
Carlton Watts relieved Erskine starter Zack McAllister and was credited with the win. Lander starting pitcher Todd Hughson (1-1) absorbed the loss.
The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead in the first against their closest rival when Skinner singled and Nunziato hit his first home run of the season, a blast to right field.
May led off the top of the second with a home run, giving Lander a 3-0 lead.
Zach McCarthy's RBI double got Erskine on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, but former Flying Fleet player Cody McElhaney singled, advanced to second and third on wild pitches, and scored on a single by Jordan Owens to give Lander a 4-1 lead in the top of the third.
Willingham's three-run homer tied the game at 4-all in the bottom of the third. The Bearcats regained a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth when Erik Lunde singled, advanced to second on Creed's single, and scored on a single by Skinner.
But Erskine took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Smith led off with a double and scored the tying run on Will Huff's single. Huff scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, giving the hosts a 6-5 lead.
The Flying Fleet scored three runs in the fifth for a 9-5 lead. Willingham had a one-out single, and Laznik and Smith hit back-to-back homers.
The Bearcats fought back in the top of the sixth, pulling within 9-7. Alan Abreu singled, Creed walked, and Skinner hit a single to drive in Abreu while Creed crossed the plate on an error.
Lunde walked and scored Lander's eighth run of the game on Skinner's ground out to first.
Nunziato reached on an error to start the ninth and advanced to second and third on passed balls, but was left stranded when Atlee Pearson struck out the final batter. Pearson pitched the final 3.1 innings for the save.
