GREENWOOD – The Lander baseball team exploded for eight runs in the eighth inning Tuesday evening en route to an 11-5 non-conference victory over rival Erskine College at Dolny Stadium.
Lander, which has won 11 of its last 13 games, improves to 14-6 overall, while Erskine drops to 8-9. The Bearcats lead their all-time series against Erskine, 20-14.
With bases loaded and one out in the eighth, AJ Nunziato started the rally when he stroked a three-RBI triple to left center field to give Lander a 6-3 lead. Jordan Owens followed with a two-RBI single that scored Nunziato and Patrick Grady, Ian Harvey blasted a two-run homer down the left field line, and Tyler Wilson scored on a wild pitch.
Michael White (1-0) earned his first win of the season after walking two batters and allowing no hits in one-third of an inning.
Erskine's Joby Moss (0-1) suffered the loss after walking one, and allowing two earned runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.
In all 13 pitchers were used by both teams combined.
The game started as a pitcher's duel between Lander's Brandon Miller and the Fleet's Dustin Sherbert. Miller struck out four, walked one and allowed two earned run on five hits in 5.2 innings, while Sherbert struck out four, walked two and allowed two earned runs on five hits in 5.1 innings.
Lander took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jeff May doubled then scored on Juan Montana's RBI single to right centerfield.
Erskine came back in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead on Brandon Wooten's RBI single and Cody Spence's sacrifice fly.
Lander regained the lead at 3-2 with two runs in the sixth inning on Montana's RBI single and Colby Painter's fielder's choice.
Erskine's Chase Corn tied the game at 3-all with a solo homer over the right field wall in the seventh.
With bases loaded and no outs in the ninth, Erskine concluded the scoring on Wooten's two-RBI single to centerfield.
For Lander, Harvey went 2-for-5 with one homer, Nunziato batted 2-for-5 with one triple, and May 2-for-3 with one double. Montana went 4-for-5 and Owens 2-for-5. Nunziato totaled three RBI, while Owens, Harvey and Montana had two each.
For Erskine, Corn batted 2-for-2 with one home run, and Wooten went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
