GREENWOOD - The Lander Softball team got a grand slam from Emily Allen to take down former PBC foe, Francis Marion, 5-1 in game one of a non-conference doubleheader but 11 walks allowed proved to be detrimental or the Bearcats in game two as the Blue and Gold fell, 12-3, in six innings.
Lander now sits at 20-9 on the season while the Patriots sit at 25-8.
Game One: Lander 5, Francis Marion 1
The Patriots struck first on an RBI double in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead and from there, Alyssa Poston, who came in leading the nation in ERA, shut the Bearcats down by only allowing one hit through three innings.
However, the fourth inning was a different story.
Bella Anglei led off the inning with what seemed to be a routine pop-up, but the center fielder dropped it, allowing her to get to third. She came home the very next batter as Abbie Behe laced a double to the wall to tie the game. Then two walks loaded the bases for Allen who deposited the ball just to the right of the scoreboard to give Lander a 5-1 lead.
Bailey Pattison shut down the Patriots the rest of the way as after the first inning, she held Francis Marion to only two hits while striking out seven to pick up her tenth win of the year.
Game Two: Francis Marion 12, Lander 3
Francis Marion once again struck first as they plated three in the top of the second but Lander got a run back off an RBI groundout from Allen to make it 3-1.
Another leadoff walk came back to bite the Bearcats in the third as the Patriots got two runs back to make it 5-1.
A groundout by Raquel Camuglia scored Linda Moore to make it 5-2 and after Taylor Scott stranded the bases loaded, the Bearcats crept closer as Allen scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.
However, things started to unravel in the fifth as the Patriots drew five walks and scored four runs on only two hits to make it 9-3. Lander loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but could not cut into the lead and Francis Marion plated three more in the sixth this time with no hits but four walks and a catcher interference to aid them and put the game in run-rule territory. The Bearcats would be held scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.
Up Next:
Lander returns to Peach Belt Conference play as they host the Georgia College and State University Bobcats for a three-game set starting with a doubleheader on Saturday and followed by a single game on Sunday. The doubleheader is set to begin at 2:00 PM with the single game on Sunday starting at 1:00 PM.
