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Lander University

HOME OF THE LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS #CLAWSUP
5
Claflin CLAFLIN 5-35-1, 0-23 PBC
16
Winner Lander LANDER 32-13, 19-4 PBC
Claflin CLAFLIN
5-35-1, 0-23 PBC
5
Final
16
Lander LANDER
32-13, 19-4 PBC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Claflin CLAFLIN 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 5 11 2
Lander LANDER 0 6 3 0 0 7 X 16 10 0

W: Bowen, Tyler (3-1) L: X. CAMPBELL (0-6)

2
Claflin CLAFLIN 5-36-1, 0-24 PBC
6
Winner Lander LANDER 33-13, 20-4 PBC
Claflin CLAFLIN
5-36-1, 0-24 PBC
2
Final
6
Lander LANDER
33-13, 20-4 PBC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Claflin CLAFLIN 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0
Lander LANDER 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 X 6 4 1

W: Sloper, Bennett (2-0) L: E. BONNER (2-7)

BSB vs Limestone
Nick Winegard

Game Recap: Baseball | | Turner Kirby - Director of Athletic Communications

Lander Sweeps Senior Day Doubleheader Against Claflin

GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Lander baseball team celebrated Senior Day with a doubleheader sweep of Claflin on Saturday at Dolny Stadium. The Bearcats defeated the Panthers 16-5 in game one behind a Mario Lopez Jr. grand slam and rallied from an early deficit to take game two, 6-2, thanks to a clutch bases-clearing double from Zach Cowart in the eighth inning.

With the sweep, Lander (33-13, 20-4 PBC) remains two games ahead of Georgia College for the final PBC Tournament host position and just one game behind North Georgia in the race for the Peach Belt Conference regular-season title.

Game 1: Lander 16, Claflin 5 (7 innings)

Lander opened the scoring with a six-run second inning. Cooper Backman, Grant Sherrod and Connor Droze each delivered RBI hits, while Taichi Nakao was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Evan Wickeri added an RBI fielder's choice, then executed a delayed steal to bait a throw that allowed Zach Cowart to score.

Claflin (5-36-1, 0-24 PBC) responded with a run in the third, but Lander extended the lead to 9-1 after three innings with RBI doubles from Cowart and Sherrod, and a sacrifice fly by Wickeri.

The Panthers mounted a brief comeback, scoring twice in both the fourth and sixth innings to cut the deficit to 9-5 and bring the tying run to the plate. But reliever Kurt Rogers struck out back-to-back hitters to escape the jam.

The Bearcats put the game away with a seven-run bottom of the sixth, keyed by a bases-clearing triple from Sherrod and capped by Lopez Jr.'s grand slam to left. Sherrod, Lander's leading hitter (.428 AVG, 66 RBI), finished the game with five RBIs.

Tyler Bowen (3-1) earned the win in relief, striking out five of the six batters he faced. Richie Cortese closed it out with a scoreless seventh, striking out two.

Game 2: Lander 6, Claflin 2

Claflin took an early 2-0 lead with a first-inning two-run homer from Adam Hardy. Despite drawing 11 walks, Lander was just 1-for-18 with runners on through seven innings.

The Bearcats cut the lead to 2-1 on a delayed double steal in the second and tied it on Adam Love's solo homer in the sixth—his first of the season.

Starter Jake Larson rebounded from the early long ball to retire 15 of the next 17 batters. He combined with Evan Demurias, Bennett Sloper, and Michael Nastro to throw eight consecutive scoreless innings. The quartet allowed just four total hits, striking out 10.

In the eighth, Claflin walked the bases loaded with two outs. Cowart lifted a fly ball to left that was misplayed when the fielder slipped, allowing all three runners to score. Cowart later crossed the plate on a wild pitch for the final margin.

Nastro pitched a clean ninth to secure the win, finishing it with a double-play ball after issuing a one-out walk.

Up Next

Lander closes out its home schedule on Tuesday against Erskine at Dolny Stadium. The Bearcats dropped two of three to the Flying Fleet to open the season, including the season opener at home. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
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