GREENWOOD - The Lander Bearcats (2-2) battled through a doubleheader against Mars Hill (3-1) on Tuesday, delivering an impressive 8-2 win in game one before falling 10-2 in game two. Bella Angeli's two-home-run performance in the opener was the highlight of the day, helping Lander take the first game in dominant fashion.
Game One: Lander 8, Mars Hill 2
Lander wasted no time making a statement in the first game, using 13 hits to put up eight runs. The offense was sparked in the second inning when Gracie Derrick drove in Naya Jones to get the Bearcats on the board.
But the real fireworks came in the third, when Angeli crushed a three-run homer to right center, bringing home Raquel Camuglia and Reagan Hill.
Angeli wasn't done yet. In the fifth inning, she blasted her second home run of the game, a solo shot to right field, extending Lander's lead to 6-0.
Kamryn Akins (2-0) held Mars Hill in check, tossing a complete-game gem, allowing just six hits and striking out five.
The Bearcats added two more insurance runs in the sixth, and despite a two-run homer from the Lions, Lander cruised to an 8-2 win.
Game One Key Performances:
Game Two: Mars Hill 10, Lander 2
The Bearcats looked to carry their momentum into Game two, striking first in the bottom of the first when Emily Allen's RBI single drove in Reagan Hill. But things unraveled in the third inning, as Mars Hill put up a seven-run explosion, capped by a three-run homer.
Lander added a run in the fifth when Hill drove in Kaitlyn DeFranco, but the Lions hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and a late run in the seventh sealed the 10-2 loss for Lander.
Mattye Geddings (0-1) took the loss, allowing four earned runs in 2.1 innings. The Bearcats managed seven hits, including two from Linda Moore, but couldn't recover from Mars Hill's early offensive surge.
Game 2 Key Performances:
NEXT UP
Lander will look to build on their early-season momentum in their upcoming games in this year's Bri Surrento Kickoff Classic hosted by the Bearcats. The tournament starts at noon on Friday, Feb. 7 and ends on Saturday, Feb. 8.
More information, including the tournament schedule, for this years Bri Surrento Kickoff Classic can be found here. The Bearcats will open the tournament with a 4 p.m. game against UNC Pembroke on Friday, Feb. 7 at Doug Spears Field.
