COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 21-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University baseball team scored one run each in the first, fifth and seventh innings and held Lander to four hits Tuesday afternoon to defeat the Bearcats, 3-1, in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament hosted by Columbus State University at Golden Park.
Armstrong Atlantic (35-16), the second seed in the East, advances to play UNC Pembroke at 7:30 p.m. today. Lander ends the season at 29-24.
AASU's Trent Landa (5-5) earned the complete-game win after striking out seven, walking one and allowing one earned run on four hits in nine innings of work.
Lander's Brandon Farquhar (4-4) took the loss as he struck out three, walked two and allowed three earned runs on 11 hits in seven innings pitched.
Armstrong Atlantic opened the game with three hits in the first inning and took a 1-0 lead when Michael Price scored on Mike Barnhill's single to right center field.
Lander tied the game at 1-all in the fourth inning after Jordan Owens doubled to right center, advanced to third on Armstrong Atlantic fielding error, and scored on a fielder's choice.
John Roberts' double off the right field wall gave the Pirates the lead back at 2-1 when he plated Alex Frederick.
The Pirates scored their final run in the seventh on Drew Walker's RBI single.
For Lander, Patrick Grady went 2-for-2.
For Armstrong Atlantic, Roberts batted 3-for-5, Chris Zittrouer 2-for-3 and Frederick 2-for-5.
