GREENWOOD - The Lander baseball team rallied to force extra innings in Game 1 and nearly came back from a seven-run deficit in the nightcap before suffering a tough Peach Belt Conference double-header loss to Young Harris 6-5 and 11-7 Saturday at Dolny Stadium.

The Bearcats were swept in the three-game series, falling to 14-15 overall and 10-13 in the PBC.

Young Harris improved to 18-7 overall and 15-5 in the Peach Belt.

Lander rallied from a 5-1 deficit in Saturday's opener behind six hitless innings from its bullpen, scoring a pair of two-out runs in the eighth and the tying run in the ninth. But the Mountain Lions scored the winning run in the 12th and then scored seven runs in the first inning of the second game.

The Bearcats cut that 7-0 deficit to 8-7 in the seventh behind a stellar relief appearance by Jack Fox before Young Harris was able to put the game away.

The best hitter in the Mountain Lions lineup, Tucker Greer, was 5-for-8 with a double, triple, two home runs, five RBI and six runs in the doubleheader. His three-run homer in the eighth inning helped the visitors hold off Lander in Game 2.

Mason Streater and Evan Harold were Lander's top hitters, each going 5-for-10 in the two games.

Young Harris took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1 on a two-out walk, hit batsman, and a three-run homer by Jackson Jones.

Lander pulled within 3-1 in the bottom of the second on Harold's sixth homer of the season, a liner over the left-field fence.

Bearcats starting pitcher Justin Walker settled down, shutting Young Harris out in the second, third and fourth innings. But he ran into trouble in the fifth. Noah Fitzgerald singled, moved to third on Greer's double and scored on a passed ball. Dahlton Cash doubled home Greer, giving the Mountain Lions a 5-1 advantage.

The Blue and Gold cut its deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Streater lashed a two-out double to left center and scored on Landon Dupert's single to right center.

The Bearcats stayed in the game thanks to good work by relievers Davis Agle and Bryce Jackson, who held Young Harris scoreless and hitless through four-plus innings. Agle allowed no runs in 2.2 innings with two strikeouts, while Jackson tossed two scoreless frames with three strikeouts.

Lander pulled within 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth as Dupert was hit by a pitch, Tyler Prell delivered a two-out single, and pinch hitter Justin Wager nearly tied it, belting a two-run double high off the fence in right field.

The Bearcats tied it in the last of the ninth when Bo Richey smashed a leadoff double past a diving center fielder, moved to third on Mike Fitschen's fly out to right center, and scored on Roury Glanton's sacrifice fly to the edge of the warning track in center.

As the game went into extra innings, the Lander bullpen continued its strong performance as Praise Thorsen retired the Mountain Lions in order in both the 10th and 11th, striking out four of the six batters.

The Bearcats had a chance to win it in the bottom of the 11th after Richey reached second with two outs when the Young Harris right fielder dropped his fly ball. But Fitschen hit into some bad luck, lining out to the third baseman.

After six hitless and scoreless innings, the Mountain Lions finally broke through in the top of the 12th against Thorsen though it could have been worse for Lander. Greer and Cash singled and then Jones walked to load the bases with nobody out. Young Harris was held to just one run, taking a 6-5 lead as Greer scored when John Miller hit into a double play followed by Brett Hawkins grounding out to end the inning.

The Bearcats had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the 12th when Streater reached on an error and pinch runner Logan Melton advanced to second on a passed ball with one out. But Lander was not able to bring him home as the Mountain Lions closed out the win.

McLain Harris (4-2) was credited with the win for Young Harris while Brody Meeks earned his fourth save. Thorsen (1-4) took the loss.

The Mountain Lions exploded for seven runs in the top of the first inning of Game 2. Fitzgerald hit an RBI double, Greer smacked a two-run homer to right, and Kyle Ayers and Logan Worley added two-run doubles for a 7-0 lead.

Lander got on the scoreboard in the second when Harold singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground out by Ward Betts, and scored when Bradley Davis hit a line drive to left for a sacrifice fly.

The Blue and Gold continued to fight back, pulling within 7-3 in the third. Richey singled to left, advanced to second on a passed ball, and scored when Glanton lined a double into the gap in left center. Streater followed with an RBI double to deep right.

The Blue and Gold struck closer in the sixth, cutting its deficit to 7-5. Harold reached on an infield single and moved to third on Davis's double down the left-field line. Ethan Wilder dumped an RBI single in front of the left fielder and Richey launched a sacrifice fly to center, bringing the Bearcats to within two runs.

Fox, who relieved starting pitcher Carson Schlegel with two outs in the first, pitched very well through the sixth allowing no runs on only three hits while striking out eight and keeping his team in the game.

Fox finally ran into trouble in the top of the seventh when Greer tripled and scored on a double by Jones, increasing the Young Harris lead to 8-5. But he finished the inning without allowing any more runs, thanks in part to Richey's over-the-shoulder diving catch of a ball hit by Hawkins for the final out of the inning. 

Fox pitched 6.1 innings in total, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out 10.

The Bearcats responded to the Mountain Lion run in a big way, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to close within 8-7. Harold hit an RBI double and scored on Wager's second pinch-hit extra-base knock of the day, a triple off the fence in right.

But Greer hit a towering three-run homer over the scoreboard in right with two outs in the top of the eighth, extending the Young Harris lead to 11-7. His second home run of the game was his 12th of the season.

Lander did not threaten to score in the eighth or ninth innings.

Mark Castle (2-0) got the win in relief for the Mountain Lions while Levi Ayers picked up his first save. Schlegel (3-2) took the loss for Lander.

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