COLUMBUS, Ga. – Lander's Chris Thomas, the recently crowned Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, tossed a four-hit, complete-game shutout Wednesday night in leading the Bearcats to a 5-0 upset victory over Georgia College in the first round of the PBC Tournament at Golden Park.

Lander, the No. 30-ranked team and the fourth seed in the East, improves to 35-16 and will face the winner of Francis Marion (E2)/Columbus State (W3) winner at 7:30 p.m., Thursday. Lander's 35 victories is a single-season school record.

Georgia College, the No. 28-ranked team and the top seed in the West, drops to 29-20 and will face the Francis Marion/Columbus State loser at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Thomas (8-2) struck out 11 and didn't allow any walks in 30 batters faced.

GC's Matt Kaplan (2-3) suffered the loss, striking out six, walking four and allowing four earned runs on six hits in six innings pitched.

Lander took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Jordan Owens' RBI single drove in AJ Nunziato, who had reached on a walk.

The Bearcats extended the lead to 3-0 in the sixth after Kevin Starr's RBI single to second, coupled with a GC fielding error, plated Owens, and Jeff May later sent Kevin Starr home with an RBI single.

Lander scored its final two runs in the seventh when Ian Harvey, who reached on a double, later scored on a wild pitch, and Owens' sacrifice fly plated Harvey.

For Lander, Owens batted 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI, while May went 2-for-4 with one RBI.