MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Lander softball team scored seven runs in the seventh inning of game one of a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader against Georgia College on Saturday afternoon to earn a split with the Bobcats at the Peeler Complex. Lander won the first game, 10-2, while GC won the second game, 10-7.

Lander moves to 18-28 overall and 6-14 in the PBC, while Georgia College is 27-15, (13-4). The win was the first for Lander at Georgia College since 2011.

In the first game, McKenzi Ferguson (11-12) earned the win for the Bearcats by striking out seven, walking two and allowing two runs on five hits in the complete seven innings. Kayla Price (15-4) suffered the loss for Georgia College, striking out two, walking two and surrendering three runs on five hits in 5.2 innings of work. 

Lander took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second when Dariean Ward homered to left-centerfield. Reychel Webster scored on an error in the third and Destiny Clyde singled home Casey Wooten in the fourth to push the lead to 3-0. 

Georgia College cut the score to 3-2 in the sixth, but the Bearcats exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning as Lander sent 13 batters to the plate. 

After Lander loaded the bases with no outs, Chandler Carey's two-run single put the Bearcats up 5-2. Kelli McCormack doubled to drive in Brianna Surrento and Ward singled home Carey to increase the lead to 7-2. After McCormack scored on a ground ball back to the pitcher and Katie Painter raced home on an infield single from Webster, Surrento capped the scoring by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 

For Lander, Clyde and Ward led the offense with two hits each.

In the second game, Price (16-4) came in to toss 2.2 innings of relief and earn the win for the Bobcats, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Lander's Lexi Griffin (0-1) took the loss, striking out one and allowing two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. 

Georgia College led 4-0 entering the fifth inning before the Bearcats rallied for five runs to take the lead. Clyde doubled home Casey Kent and Logan Leverette and a pinch-hit RBI single from Jamie Pisel pulled Lander within a run. Carey then tied the game with an RBI single and Clyde scored when the ball was misplayed in right field to give the Bearcats the lead. 

However, the Bobcats surged ahead with three runs in the fifth and the sixth to take a 10-5 lead. 

Lander attempted to rally in the seventh, as McCormack singled home Painter and Carey scored on a ground out from Ward, but Georgia College held on to earn the split.