GREENWOOD – Lander left-handed pitcher Todd Hughson had another outstanding start while Jeff May and Thomas Berry drove in two runs apiece, leading the Bearcats to a 4-1 victory over Barry University Friday evening at Stephen B. Dolny Stadium.
Lander improved to 5-4 on the season while Barry, from Miami, Fla., fell to 3-3.
The teams were scheduled to play single games Saturday and Sunday, but with rain in the forecast on Sunday, they will play a double-header starting at noon on Saturday at Dolny Stadium.
Hughson, who pitched a no-hitter against Limestone College a week ago Friday, scattered only three hits, all singles, in seven innings against the Buccaneers. He struck out nine and walked two.
Hughson (2-0) gave up two hits in the first inning, including a hit-and-run single through a vacated hole, and a line drive single up the middle in the fifth inning that he almost caught. In his two starts this year, Hughson has allowed only three hits while striking out 21 and walking three in 16 innings.
Ross Davis pitched the final two innings for Lander, collecting his first save including striking out the side in the ninth, all looking.
Barry scored a run in the top of the first with the help of a hit-and-run single, the first hit allowed by Hughson in his last 32 batters faced. Sheahan Planas-Atreaga drew a two-out walk and broke for second on a steal attempt when Lyndon Coleman singled into the spot vacated by Lander second baseman Erik Lunde, who had taken off to cover the base. Planas-Atreaga moved to third on Coleman's hit and scored on James Young's single to right.
The Bearcats took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth with the help of a pair of Barry errors. AJ Nunziato hit a leadoff single to left and moved to second when Patrick Grady reached on an error by the shortstop. Lander loaded the bases with no one out when Ian Harvey bunted in front of the plate and the Buccaneers second baseman dropped the throw at first. May hit an RBI single and Berry drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the go-ahead run.
Davis replaced Hughson on the mound in the top of the eighth and the Buccaneers threatened. Julio Ramos hit a leadoff single to center and moved to second on Harold Holness's sacrifice bunt. But Adrian English grounded out to third base as Lander first baseman Kevin Starr saved Colby Painter's high throw, and Planas-Atreaga hit a hard grounder up the middle to shortstop Nunziato whose throw to first was scooped by Starr for the final out.
The Bearcats scored two big insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Grady hit a leadoff double off the right-field fence, moved to third when Harvey reached on an error by the second baseman, and after Starr walked to load the bases, May lofted a sacrifice fly to center, and Berry added an RBI single.
Barry got two runners on base in the ninth on a single and walk, but Davis left them stranded by striking out the side looking.
May was Lander's leading hitter, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Nunziato went 2-for-4, Berry was 1-for-3 with two RBI, and Grady went 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
Coleman led the Buccaneers at the plate, going 2-for-4.
Jordan Wellander pitched well in defeat for Barry, allowing one earned run on five hits in seven innings of work with six strikeouts and one walk. Calvin Rayburn pitched the final inning for the Buccaneers.
