GREENWOOD – The Lander softball team earned a run-rule victory over Concord on Friday morning at the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational and held a four-run lead before falling to unbeaten Carson-Newman in the afternoon game at Doug Spears Field. 

Lander (7-4) trailed Concord (0-2) 1-0 in the bottom of the second before Chandler Carey knotted the score with an RBI groundout to score Kelli McCormack. A throwing error from the Mountain Lions plated two runs for Lander and Jace Bennefield came around to score on another throwing error to make the score 4-1. 

The Bearcats tacked on three more runs in the third as Carey singled home Brianna Surrento. Kasey Rogers pushed the lead to 6-1 with a sacrifice fly that plated Carey and Morgan Watson drove in Delaney Guerrero with a single to give Lander a 7-1 advantage. 

Lauren Collie delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to score Abby Harris and another error from the Mountain Lion defense allowed Surrento to come home. Surrento then pitched the fifth inning to close out the win. 

Abby Killian (4-1) picked up the victory in the circle, allowing one run on three hits in 4.0 innings of work with four strikeouts. Cartney Schoolcraft (0-1) surrendered seven runs on eight hits in 3.0 innings with three strikeouts in a losing effort. 

Against Carson-Newman (7-0), the Bearcats stormed out of the gate as Surrento doubled home Sydney Grimes and McCormack launched a two-run homer to give Lander a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Eagles answered with a run in the top of the second, but Surrento struck again in the bottom of the frame with a two-run single as the Bearcats' lead grew to 5-1. 

However, the Eagles would score the game's final six runs, highlighted by a four-run fourth inning, to stay unbeaten on the season. 

Ashley Vinson (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. C-N's Lacie Rinus (2-0) tossed 5.0 innings for the Eagles, allowing five runs on six hits with three walks and a strikeout. Allison Rager earned her first save of the year, allowing just one hit in 2.0 innings of relief. 

Lander faces Concord at 10:00 a.m. and Claflin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.