AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Lander softball team snapped an eight-game losing streak to pick up its 20th victory of the season on Friday afternoon as the Bearcats split a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Augusta.

Lander (20-16, 4-8 PBC) took game one 2-0 before falling to Augusta (13-25, 4-8 PBC) 5-2 in game two. 

McKenzi Ferguson (14-6) dominated game one in the circle for the Bearcats, holding the Jaguars to just two hits with six strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Lander took the lead in the top of the second, courtesy of a Dariean Ward home run, and added an insurance run in the seventh inning on Jamie Pisel's sacrifice fly that scored Abby Harris. 

Augusta's Morgan Hunter (9-12) allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts to take the loss. 

Lander grabbed an early lead in game two on an RBI single from Ward in the top of the first and another RBI single off the bat of Sydney Grimes in the top of the second, but could not hold on as the Jaguars plated three runs in the second and two more in the sixth to earn a 5-2 victory. 

Brianna Surrento (5-8) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on two hits with two walks in 2.0 innings of relief. Courtney Browne (3-9) picked up the win, surrendering two runs on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout in 5.0 innings, while Hunter pitched two scoreless innings to earn her second save of the year. 

The Bearcats return to Greenwood on Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader against Georgia College at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.