GREENWOOD – The Lander baseball team gets going in the PBC Opening Round with a meeting with Columbus State on Saturday and Sunday.
QUICK HITTERS
Location: Burger King Stadium (Columbus, Ga.)
Time: May 7 (2 pm) | May 8 (1 pm) | May 8 – If Needed (4 pm)
Lander's Record: 22-27, 11-15 PBC
#8/8 Columbus State's Record: 38-9, 20-6 PBC
First Met: February 28, 1998 (12-2 Columbus State)
Last Met: April 15, 2022 (6-4 Columbus State)
Last 10 Against Columbus State: 2-8
Who's Next: PBC Tournament Double Elimination
STORYLINES
- The Bearcats begin the PBC Tournament with a best of three series against the No. 8/8 Columbus State Cougars on the road this Saturday and Sunday.
- Lander is coming off a series victory over USC Aiken on May 1. Lander took the series 2-1 after winning an 8-4 contest to conclude the regular season.
- Pitching the final five innings after a weather delay, Kurt Rogers struck out seven while only allowing four Pacers to reach base. Connor Droze had a 4-for-5 day that featured a double, a home run and two RBI. Chandler Moeller went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.
- Lander won the first game against USC Aiken after Nick Foray pitched a complete game shutout with five strikeouts where the Blue and Gold won 3-0.
- Although finishing the regular season nationally ranked and No. 1 in the PBC, The Cougars came close twice to dropping games against the Bearcats earlier this season. Lander fell to the then No. 2/9 Cougars 5-7 and 4-6 in the first two games before the third was rained out.
- The Bearcats have lost by two or fewer runs 11 times this season.
- Georgia College hosts USC Aiken, Georgia Southwestern hosts North Georgia while Young Harris hosts Flagler to round out the rest of the Opening Round.
- Lander finished the regular season fifth in total hits, third in doubles, first in triples, fourth in home runs, fourth in RBI, fifth in total bases, fifth in slugging percentage, fifth in batting average, third in walks, fifth in on base percentage and fourth in stolen bases.
- Droze finished the regular season tied for ninth in the PBC in batting average with a .346 average. He was also third in the conference in slugging percentage with a .702 percentage and held a 1.146 OPS, which was third in the PBC to conclude the regular season.
- Vincent DeRubeis finished the regular season second in on-base percentage with a .478 percentage. Mason Streater finished tied for sixth in the PBC with 13 doubles hit in the regular season. Ethan Wilder was tied for the conference lead in triples with four. Matthew Burgess led the conference in sacrifice bunts with nine while finishing the regular season seventh in stolen bases with 13.
- Landon Dupert led the Bearcats with 56 hits in the regular season. He has 39 runs scored, seven doubles, a team high nine home runs and 35 RBI.
- Burgess is second on the team in hits with 51. He finished the regular season with a .315 batting average, the fourth best on the team.
- Droze led the way with a .346 batting average with 37 hits, 28 runs scored, 11 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 33 RBI and three stolen bases.
- Burgess and Gary Garrett were the only two Bearcats to steal 10 or more bases this season. Garrett was second behind Burgess with 11 stolen bases.
- Zach Pellegrino leads the Bearcats in appearances with 31. Pellegrino ranks second in single-season appearances behind Brandon White's 33 in 2014.
- Braedon Burton and Kurt Rogers have 24 and 22 appearances this season as well. Both Burton and Rogers are now in the top-15 in single-season appearances.
- Six Pitchers are tied for the lead in wins this season with three each. Kurt Rogers, Bennett Sloper, Evan Mauldin, Nick Foray, Anson Merrick and Bennett Nance have all won three games this season.
- Foray leads the Bearcats in strikeouts with 46 on the season. Nance is second with 44 while Rogers is third with 38.
- Columbus State comes in spotting a 39-9 overall record and a 20-6 conference record. They are also 19-5 at home this season.
- The Cougars finished the season going 2-1 against Flagler on the road. After falling 5-4 in the first game, Columbus State won 7-4 and 15-8 to conclude the regular season.
- The Cougars are led by Robert Brooks in batting average with a .395 average. He also has a team high 68 hits along with eight doubles while leading the team in triples and home runs with two and 16. He also has a team high 69 RBI this season.
- Derek Wylie and David Meadows lead the way in doubles with 10 each while Issac Bouton and Colby Brabston share the lead in triples with two each. Wylie is second on the team in home runs with 15 this season. Connor Kirley and Meadows both have stolen 15 or more bases, with 17 and 19 respectively.
- Both Devin Dudal and Colton Joyner have a team high eight wins. Peyton Burton has an ERA of 1.11 along with a WHIP of .90 in 20 appearances. Burton is 4-1 this season after throwing 32.1 innings, collecting three saved and allowing just seven runs, four earned and striking out 30. Dudal leads the way with 77 strikeouts while Noah Windhorst is second with 64.
#cLawsUp | @LanderBaseball
