GREENWOOD – The No. 6-ranked Armstrong Atlantic softball team put a damper on Lander's Peach Belt Conference home-opening doubleheader Saturday afternoon when the Pirates swept the Bearcats, 10-6 and 6-1, at Doug Spears Field.

Armstrong improves to 17-2-1 overall and 2-0 in the PBC, while Lander moves to 10-13, 0-2.

In the first game, Armstrong's Megan Barnwell (11-1) earned the win, striking out three, walking one and allowing two runs (none earned) on four hits in four innings.

Lander's Tyler Riendeau (1-1) took the loss after striking out one, walking one and allowing six earned runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings.

Armstrong took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on back-to back RBI doubles by Alexis Mercer and Hannah Reppert.

Lander cut it to 3-2 in the first after Taylor Donson scored from third on a throwing error and Nikki Montesanti's RBI single plated Brittney Sheriff.

Armstrong added one run in the third to make it 4-2 on Andrea Dalton's RBI single.

The Pirates exploded for six runs in the fifth inning when Celia Blome and Mercer both had two-RBI singles, while Kat Vogler and Blome both scored on bases-loaded walks.

Lander cut the lead to 10-6 in the fifth on Bethany Beggs' three-RBI single.

For Lander, Sheriff went 3-for-4, and Donson and Montesanti both batted 2-for-3.

For AASU, Kacie Patterson, Mercer and Reppert batted 2-for-3 and Blome went 2-for-4.

In the second game, Barnwell notched her second win of the day, striking out seven, walking one and allowing one earned run on five hits in the complete seven innings.

Lander's M.K. Pegram (4-3) suffered the loss after striking out six, walking two, and allowing vie earned runs on seven hits in seven innings.

Shelby Duff's RBI double gave Armstrong a 1-0 lead in the first, but Lander countered in the bottom of the inning with Beggs' solo homer over the left centerfield.

Armstrong took a 4-1 lead in the fifth when Vogler scored from third on a wild pitch and Duff smacked a two-run homer down the left field line. The Pirates added two more runs in the sixth inning on Patterson's two-RBI single to left field.

For Lander, Casey Corbitt batted 2-for-3.

For Armstrong, Duff went 3-for-4.