GREENWOOD – The Lander softball team hung with visiting Queens, but could manage just three runs over two games as the Royals earned a sweep at Doug Spears Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Lander (9-3) held a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning of the first contest after a home run from Halie Sorrow, but Queens (13-2) responded in the top of the sixth with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Neither team would score again until the top of the ninth. The Royals took their first lead of the day on a sacrifice fly and padded their advantage with three RBI singles to build a 7-2 lead. Lander could not rally in the bottom of the ninth as Queens claimed game one. 

McKenzi Ferguson (5-1) took the loss for the Bearcats, allowing two earned runs on four hits in 8.1 innings with nine strikeouts and three walks. Courtney Pearson (5-1) earned the win for Queens with two runs allowed on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks in a complete-game effort. 

The second game of the day saw the Royals take a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, courtesy of a two-run homer. Lander cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth on Brianna Surrento's RBI single, but Queens tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh and held the Bearcat offense scorless over the final three innings to pick up the sweep. 

Surrento (3-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks. Queens' Shannon McGuire (6-0) picked up the win, limiting the Bearcats to a run on five hits.