AUGUSTA, GA. – The Lander baseball split a doubleheader with the Augusta Jaguars at SRP Park Wednesday.

Lander moves to 14-8 overall and 10-7 in the PBC while Augusts drops to 4-13 overall and 3-12 in the PBC.

The Bearcats started the day losing to Augusta 18-7 in game one, with 16 of the Jaguars 18 runs coming in the last two innings of play.

Lander opened the game with two runs scoring in the top of the first. With the bases loaded, redshirt junior Evan Harold reached on a fielder's choice to score grad student Mike Fitschen while junior Walker McDowell came home after the Augusta shortstop committed an error. The Jaguars would respond with a run in the bottom of the inning as a single to left field plated a run to make it 2-1 Lander after the first inning.

Neither side was able to score until another fielder choice from Harold brought home senior Roury Glanton to give Lander a 3-1 advantage in the third.

The Jaguars struck again in the fourth inning after a groundout brought home a run from third to make it a one-run ball game heading into the fifth.

In the fifth the Bearcats offensive exploded for four runs, starting with a two-RBI single to right field from senior Ward Betts. Later in the inning junior Bo Richey doubled to right field to bring home two more runs to give Lander a 7-2 cushion.

Lander found itself in trouble in the sixth inning, as a two-run RBI for Augusta with the bases loaded started a six-run inning. A double, wild pitch and SAC fly along with a throwing error brought home the other four runs to give the Jaguars an 8-7 lead.

Augusta was able to hold Lander off the scoreboard in the seventh, as the home side was able to plate 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh to kill the game in the seventh inning with an 18-7 victory.

Grad student Jack Fox went five innings in his first start of the season. Fox allowed five runs on five hits and struck out one. Redshirt senior Praise Thorsen was given the loss after allowing three runs on two hits.

Game two saw the Bearcats strike first blood yet again as in the second inning Betts scored from second on a throwing error by the Jaguar catcher. Augusta was able to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth after a groundout to second brought home a runner from third.

The very next inning saw the offense wake up for the Bearcats with six runs coming around for the Blue and Gold. Glanton brought home the first run of the inning after lining out to left field while sophomore Landon Dupert brought two Bearcats home to score on a single to center field. Junior Mason Streater followed things up with a double to right field to plate another run with a single from junior Vincent DeRubeis plated two more runs for the Bearcats to put Lander up 7-1.

Lander wasn't quite done scoring for the night. The Bearcats saw three consecutive batters bring in four runs starting with an RBI triple from DeRubeis to center field. Richey was next up with an RBI single to center field while sophomore Tyler Prell finished up the scoring with a two-run home run to put Lander up 11-1.

Redshirt junior Davis Agle earned the win in his first start this season. Agle went five innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out seven Jaguars. Freshman Matthew Ellis and junior Carson Schlegel combined for four scoreless innings of relief with Ellis striking out five and Schlegel striking out one.

The Bearcats are back in action this Saturday and Sunday as they return home to host UNC Pembroke.

#cLawsUp | @LanderBaseball