GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Lander baseball team built a 6-0 first inning lead and held off a late rally by Limestone for a 9-6 non-conference victory and its third consecutive win on Wednesday night.

The Bearcats improved to 15-16 on the season, while Limestone fell to 18-15 overall.

Robbie Hoyt (3-2) earned his third win in three appearances, striking out two, walking one and allowing three runs on five hits in a career-high 4.2 innings of relief.

Limestone starter Charlie Richardson (0-2) was tagged with the loss after walking two batters, hitting three and allowing five runs without recording an out.

Lander loaded the bases in the first with two walks and a hit by pitch before a wild pitch allowed Colton Yeager to score from third. With the bases loaded after Nathan Schreckengost was hit by a pitch, Reed Gray was plunked to bring home Alex Conaway. After a Limestone pitching change, Bailey Connell plated Carson Jones on a sacrifice fly before Mason Dodd cleared the bases with a three-run homer to put the Bearcats up 6-0. 

Limestone plated two runs in the second and one in the third to cut the lead in half, but Lander extended the lead in the top of the eighth on a two-run homer from Connell and an RBI double from Chuck Lawing.

The Saints attempted to rally in the bottom of the ninth, pulling within 9-6 with two outs in the inning. However, Joseph Whitt induced fly ball to centerfield with the tying run at the plate to seal the win for the Bearcats.

Dodd led the Bearcat offense, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.