GREENWOOD – UNC Pembroke's Abbey Walters smacked two home runs and earned one win on the mound Saturday afternoon to lead the Braves to a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader sweep over Lander at Doug Spears Field. UNCP won the first game, 5-2, and the second, 8-6. It was the PBC opener for both teams.

UNCP improves to 10-7-1 overall and 2-0 in the PBC, while Lander moves to 9-9, 0-2.

In the first game, UNCP's Katie Saunders (6-4) earned the win after striking out two, walking three and allowing two earned runs on nine hits in the complete seven innings.

Lander's Lexi Griffin (1-4) took the loss after striking out one, walking two and allowing five earned runs on nine hits in seven innings.

The Bearcats kicked off the scoring in the first inning when Halie Sorrow doubled in Casey Wooten, who singled and stole second.

Jamie Johnson's two-run single in the second put the Braves on top, 2-1, then Walters made it 3-1 in the third with a solo home run over the left field fence.

LU's Destiny Clyde cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth with a solo home run to right centerfield. It was her first homer of the season.

UNCP made it 4-2 in the fifth when Taylor Gerhart's RBI single drove in Walters, then Toni Nelson's sacrifice fly in the seventh scored Walters for the final run.

For Lander, Wooten, Reychel Webster, Sorrow and Clyde had two hits each.

For UNCP, Walters batted 3-for-3 and Gerhart went 2-for-4.

In the second game, UNCP jumped out to a 3-0 led in the first inning after Whitney Jackson scored on Gerhart's fielder's choice, Nelson doubled in Walters, and Savannah's Melvin's sacrifice bunt plated Gerhart. The Braves extended the margin to 6-0 in the second inning on Walters' second home run of the day.

The Bearcats trimmed the lead to 6-4 in the second on Madison Moore's three-run homer to left field, Kelli McCormack's RBI double that plated Dariean Ward, and Sorrow's fielder's choice that drove in Wooten.

But the Braves came right back with Melvin's solo homerun in the third and Gerhart's RBI double in the fourth to make it 8-5.

The Bearcats notched their final run in the sixth when McCormack went home on MaKenzie Smith's fielder's choice.

Walters (2-1) earned the win, striking out one, walking two and allowing four hits in six innings of relief.

Lander's McKenzi Ferguson (7-4) suffered the loss with six strikeouts, two walks and eight earned runs on nine hits in seven innings pitched.