Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Lander University

HOME OF THE LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS #CLAWSUP
3
Columbus St. CSU 28-21
4
Winner Lander LANDER 33-18
Columbus St. CSU
28-21
3
Final
4
Lander LANDER
33-18
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Columbus St. CSU 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 10 1
Lander LANDER 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 X 4 9 0

W: Sanchez, Joshua (5-3) L: Connor Folds (6-6) S: Demurias, Evan (2)

Celebration Post-Game
Jason Guth

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

Three-Run Eighth Sends Lander to Bracket Final

GREENWOOD - The Lander baseball team trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth but used a pair of wild pitches to tie the game before a Cooper Backman sacrifice fly gave the Bearcats a 4-3 win over Columbus State on Saturday afternoon in the winner's bracket game of the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament.

Lander advances to the bracket final and will await the winner of Sunday's elimination game. USC Aiken defeated Georgia College earlier in the day, but weather pushed the Pacers' matchup with Columbus State to Sunday at 2 p.m. The winner will face Lander 30 minutes after the conclusion of that game and must win twice to advance.

Starting pitching dominated as both starters worked 7.1 innings. Jake Larson allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out two.

Lander opened the scoring in the second inning on a Lowndes Still sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars tied the game in the sixth with an RBI single before taking the lead in the eighth. Joshua Sanchez entered with one out and struck out the first batter he faced before inducing a ground ball that deflected off his leg, allowing a run to score. Columbus State added another run on an RBI single to go ahead 3-1.

Lander responded in the bottom half. Singles from Brody Winter and Riley Hood put two on before a double steal moved both runners into scoring position. Carter McCormick then drew a walk to load the bases, and consecutive wild pitches scored Winter and pinch runner Dalton Stroud to tie the game.

Backman followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Caleb McKitrick and give the Bearcats the lead.

Evan Demurias retired the Cougars in order in the ninth, ending the game with a strikeout to send Lander to the bracket final.

Tickets for the game are available at landerbearcats.com/pbctix

Hear from Nick Popp Postgame
Print Friendly Version

Scoring Summary

Score By Innings
Play CSU LANDER
LANDER BOT 2nd Lowndes Still flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI (0-0); Cooper Backman scored, unearned. 0 1
CSU TOP 6th Michael Cruz singled up the middle, RBI (0-1 S); Cayden Evans scored. 1 1
CSU TOP 8th Luke Miller singled to pitcher, RBI (0-0); Cole Eison advanced to third; Bryce Knox scored. 2 1
CSU TOP 8th Jacob Smith singled through the right side, RBI (1-1 BK); Luke Miller advanced to second; Cole Eison scored. 3 1
LANDER BOT 8th Caleb McKitrick advanced to second on a wild pitch; Dalton Stroud advanced to third on a wild pitch; Brody Winter scored on a wild pitch. 3 2
LANDER BOT 8th Caleb McKitrick advanced to third on a wild pitch; Dalton Stroud scored on a wild pitch. 3 3
LANDER BOT 8th Cooper Backman flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI (2-2 BKSFB); Caleb McKitrick scored. 3 4

Related Headlines