FLORENCE – The Lander softball team claimed its first Peach Belt Conference doubleheader of the season Friday afternoon when the Bearcats swept Francis Marion, 3-1 in the first game and 5-3 in eight innings in the nightcap.

Lander improves to 13-24 overall and 3-11 in the PBC, while Francis Marion drops to 22-20, 7-9.

In the first game, Lander's Kelsey Davis (5-8) earned the win, striking out two, walking two and allowing one earned run on four hits in the complete seven innings.

FMU's Taylor Luff (12-11) suffered the loss after striking out 11, walking two and allowing three earned runs on nine hits in seven innings.

Lander took a 1-0 lead in the third on Taylor Donson's RBI double that plated Heather Yoder.

FMU tied it up in the bottom half of the inning when Olivia Zieleinski scored on a fielder's choice.

The Bearcats won the game in the sixth as Brittney Sheriff, who doubled, scored on Casey Corbitt's double. Davis then drove in Corbitt.

For Lander, Sheriff batted 2-for-4.

In the second game, Davis earned her second win of the day after striking out one, walking one and giving up one hit in 1.2 innings of relief. Starter M.K. Pegram struck out eight, walked five and allowed two earned runs on two hits in 6.1 innings.

The Patriots' Danielle Payne (5-8) took the loss after striking out six, walking two and allowing three earned runs on four hits in seven innings.

Lander took a 3-0 lead when it scored one run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Nikki Montesanti scored on an error in the third, Bethany Beggs homered in the fourth, and Donson's RBI triple plated Hannah Gatley in the fifth.

Francis Marion forced the extra innings when the Patriots tied the score at 3-all in the seventh. Taylor Luff's RBI single plated Tristan Faile, Zielinski went home on a groundout and Danielle Payne scored on a throwing error.

Lander won the game in the eighth Beggs' two-run homer that plated Sheriff.

For Lander, Beggs went 2-for-4.