AMERICUS - Georgia Southwestern outfielder Michel Coffey extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a solo home run in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, but the 'Canes were unable to salvage a split with the Bearcats, as Lander won 10-1 and 4-2 at Hurricane Stadium.
Lander, victorious in eight of its last nine games, improves to 16-6 overall and 6-2 in the Peach Belt Conference. GSW, now 3-18 overall and 2-6 in the PBC, has lost four in a row and six of its last seven.
The two teams wrap up the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
GAME 1: GSW 1, LANDER 10
It didn't take long for the visiting Bearcats to get to GSW starter Trent Franzago (0-5). Lander scored five runs in the first behind five singles, but two costly errors opened the floodgates.
While the five runs would prove to be more than enough to take the opener, Lander put the game away in the fourth inning with four runs on six hits. The rally was highlighted by Ian Harvey's two-run double to left center.
GSW pushed across its run in the fifth inning. Randall Sheffield opened the frame with a single, proceeded to steal second, advanced to third on a Chase Young ground out and scored on John Duran's single up the middle. After the RBI hit, the Hurricanes loaded the bases when Michel Coffey walked and Beau Parker was hit by a pitch. GSW could not capitalize and the runners were left stranded to end the inning.
Lander tacked on a run in the ninth.
The Hurricanes did not have a batter finish with multiple hits.
A quartet of Lander hitters collected three hits apiece in the contest. Erik Lunde (3-for-6), Kevin Starr (3-for-4), Juan Montana (3-for-5) and Colby Painter (3-for-5) led the Bearcats' barrage. Montana drove in three.
Franzago pitched three innings. Matthew Suggs provided six innings of solid relief for GSW. He allowed two runs, walked two and struck out five.
Chris Thomas (4-0) turned in a solid performance for Lander. He tossed eight innings, scattered five hits, walked two and struck out seven while allowing the 'Canes only run. Jeremy Jansen threw a scoreless ninth.
GAME 2: GSW 2, LANDER 4
Southwestern matched each Lander score until the eighth inning of the nightcap.
Lander took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when a GSW error on a ground ball from Chris Hyatt allowed Harvey to score from second.
Coffey blasted his third home run of the season to open the bottom half of the fourth.
In the sixth, it was the Hyatt/Harvey combination once again. This time a Hyatt single to center brought Harvey, who reached base on a triple, across the plate.
Kyle Nobles tied the game for the Hurricanes in the bottom of the inning when his double down the left-field line brought Beau Parker around from first.
A two-out error by GSW in the eighth eventually led to both Lander runs scoring and proved to be the difference.
The Hurricanes were held in check over the final two frames as six of their final seven batters were retired to end the contest.
For the second-straight game GSW was held without a multi-hit indivdual performance at the plate.
Harvey went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple to lead the Bearcats. He scored three of their four runs. Painter added a pair of hits.
Tyler Daniel (0-1) took the loss for GSW despite not being charged for an earned run in 2 2/3 innings of work. He walked two and struck out two. Starter Matt Weaver went six innings, walked four and struck out five. He allowed two runs - one earned - and scattered five hits.
Lander starter Todd Hughson did not factor in the decision after his 6 2/3 innings of action. He gave up two runs, five hits, walked three and struck out three. Michael White (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Ross Davis picked up his third save after throwing a scoreless ninth.
