FLORENCE, S.C. – The Lander baseball team was held without a hit through the first five innings as Francis Marion avoided a series sweep, topping the Bearcats 8-2 on Sunday afternoon. 

Lander (11-19, 7-8 PBC) fell behind 7-0 as the Patriots (19-11, 10-8 PBC) scored three runs in the second and fourth innings. Bailey Connell broke up Isaac Rodgers' (6-0) no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, then came around to score on a double from Vincent Addona. Addona would score two batters later on an RBI groundout off the bat of Nathan Schreckengost. 

Francis Marion would add an insurance run in the seventh inning. Rodgers allowed two runs on two hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings, while Joseph Whitt (3-3) took the loss for Lander, surrendering four runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout in 3.0 innings pitched. 

The Bearcats head to Belmont Abbey Tuesday night for a 6:00 p.m. game against the Crusaders.