GREENWOOD - The Lander softball team rallied for three runs in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon to defeat No. 22 Armstrong Atlantic, 4-2, in the first game of a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Doug Spears Field. The Pirates came back to take the second game, 7-2.
Lander moves to 20-21 overall and 5-13 in the PBC, while Armstrong Atlantic is 28-10, 13-7.
In the first game, down 2-1 going into the sixth inning, the Bearcats' Brittany Sheriff scored on a Pirate error, Rachelle Adkins' RBI single to left scored Arielle Buchholz, and Taylor Donson went home with bases loaded when Sarah Fuller was hit by a pitch.
Lander's Hayley Leissner (13-15) earned the win after striking out six, walking one and allowing two earned runs on eight hits in seven complete innings.
Armstrong Atlantic's Megan Barnwell (20-6) was tagged the loser after striking out 12 and allowing two earned runs on six hits in six innings.
Armstrong took a 1-0 lead in first inning after April Jowers, singled, stole second advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Shelby Duff's sacrifice fly.
Lander tied the game at 1-1 in the third when Sheriff tripled to left center and went home on a throwing error.
Amber Janus' RBI single in the sixth plated Ashley Buckett to put the Pirates back up 2-1.
For Lander, Sheriff went 2-for-3.
For Armstrong Atlantic, Whitney Galloway batted 1-for-3 with one double, while Jowers and Buckett each went 2-for-4 .
In the second game, Barnwell claimed the win after striking out two, walking two and allowing one earned run on four hits in four innings pitched.
Leissner took the loss as she struck out six, walked one and allowed five runs (one earned) on six hits in three innings pitched.
AASU took a 4-0 lead in the first inning when Jowers scored on Baillie Temples' sacrifice fly, then Keela Scott belted a three-run homer.
Lander trimmed the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the inning when Sheriff scored on Adkins' sacrifice fly.
The Pirates went up 5-1 in the second after Duff's RBI single plated Jowers, then added two more runs in the fourth when Jowers and Duff both had RBI singles.
Lander made it 7-2 in the sixth when Jaime Presnell, who singled to left, advanced to second on Morgan Robinson's sacrifice bunt then scored on a Pirate throwing error.
For Lander, Fuller went 2-for-3.
For the Pirates, Scott batted 1-for-3 with one homer, Duff 4-for-4 with one double, and Jowers 4-for-5.
