AMERICUS, Ga. - The Lander softball team picked up its third Peach Belt Conference sweep of the season Saturday afternoon after defeating Georgia Southwestern, 5-3 and 7-3, at Lady 'Canes Field.

The Bearcats improve to 22-14 overall and 8-6 in the PBC, while GSW drops to 22-24, 6-10.

In the first game, Lexi Griffin (6-6) earned the win, striking out one and allowing two earned runs on nine hits in five innings pitched. McKenzie Ferguson was awarded the save, her fifth of the year, in one inning of relief.

Brittany Childs (5-7) took the loss for the Hurricanes after striking out one, walking three and allowing three earned runs on nine hits in five innings.

GSW took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Haley Goodson scored on a Lander error, but the Bearcats bounced right back in the top of the third to tie it at 1-all on Dariean Ward's RBI single that plated Destiny Clyde.

The Hurricanes bounced right back in the their half of the third and went up 3-1 on Allee Denney's two-run homer.

The Bearcats cut the GSW lead to 3-2 in the fourth after Emily Marousek drove in Casey Kent, then knotted it at 3-3 when Reychel Webster scored on a bases-loaded walk.

Ward gave Lander the lead for the first time at 4-3 in the sixth with an RBI single to centerfield sent Casey Wooten home, then Clyde drove in pinch runner Bryanna Vasquez in the seventh to finalize the scoring.

For Lander, Ward batted 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Kent went 2-for-2 and Makenzie Smith 2-for-3.

In the second game, Ferguson (15-7) was awarded the complete-game win after striking out four, walking one and allowing three earned runs on six hits in seven innings.

GSW's Kaley Sikes (3-5) suffered the loss after striking out two, walking two and allowing five earned runs on six hits in six innings.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Ward drove in Wooten in the first and Kelli McCormack scored on Marousek's sacrifice fly in the second.

Lander stretched it to 4-0 in the third after Halie Sorrow's sacrifice fly plated Webster, and Ward scored on a passed ball.

The Hurricanes trimmed it to 4-1 in the in the fourth on Hayley Tierce's solo home run, but the Bearcats bounced right back in the sixth to make it 6-1 on Marousek's two run-homer.

GSW added another run in the sixth with Joshlyn Martin's RBI double, but, once again, Lander answered when Ward scored off a Hurricane throwing error to go up 7-2.

Goodson homered in the bottom of the seventh for the game's final run.

For Lander, McCormack batted 3-for-3, while Ward and Wooten added two hits apiece.