MARTINEZ, Ga. - After emerging victorious from the Greenwood Bracket in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament, the Lander baseball team will take the next step in its defense of the PBC Tournament title as the Bearcats face top-seeded and 10th-ranked North Georgia this weekend at Bob Stein Stadium in Dahlonega, Ga.

The championship series is a best two-of-three format with game one set for Friday, May 8 at 5 p.m. Game two is scheduled for Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m., and if necessary, a winner-take-all game three would be played Saturday at 5 p.m. The winner of the series will earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.

Lander advanced to the championship series after defeating Georgia College and State University once and Columbus State twice in the Greenwood Bracket. North Georgia reached the final by defeating Middle Georgia once and Flagler twice in the Dahlonega Bracket.

The two programs met earlier this season in Dahlonega with the Nighthawks taking the series two games to one. North Georgia claimed the opener 5-2 before Lander responded with a 4-1 victory in game two, holding the Nighthawks to just three hits. The series finale went 10 innings before North Georgia secured a 4-3 win.

Both teams were featured in the latest NCAA Southeast Regional rankings with North Georgia sitting third and in position to potentially host a regional, while Lander was ranked ninth for the second consecutive week and just outside the projected field.

The Bearcats are looking to capture their second straight PBC Tournament title and become the first conference program to repeat as tournament champions since Georgia College accomplished the feat in 2017 and 2018. North Georgia is seeking its second tournament title in program history and first since 2008.