Box Score GREENWOOD – Georgia College opened up an early 6-1 lead and withstood a Bearcat rally to defeat Lander 8-7 in game one of a Peach Belt Conference series at Dolny Stadium on Friday evening.
Lander dropped to 17-19 overall and 10-9 in the conference, while the Bobcats moved to 23-9, (10-6)
Georgia College scored two runs in the top of the first, but the Bearcats responded with an RBI double from Bailey Connell that plated Alex Conaway in the bottom of the inning, cuttin the deficit to 2-1.
A four-run second inning for the Bobcats put Lander behind 6-1 before
Carson Jones put the Bearcats on the board again in the bottom of the fourth, driving in
Reed Gray on an RBI double.
Lander chipped away at the lead again in the fifth as Connell singled home
Colton Yeager and later came around to score on an error, making the score 6-4.
Georgia College extended the lead to 8-4 in the top of the eighth, but the Bearcats stormed back once again on a two-run homer from
Mason Dodd and an RBI single from Yeager that brought
Ryan Troutman around to score.
Lander put the tying run on second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Khan closed the door to give Georgia College the win.
Conaway, Connell and Jones led the Bearcat offense with two hits each.
The Bearcats will look to even the series Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Prior to first pitch, the 2016 Lander team will receive its Southeast Regional championship rings.
