YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The middle of the Lander University baseball lineup came up big as the No. 20-ranked Bearcats defeated Young Harris College 12-2 in a Peach Belt Conference game Sunday (Feb. 23) afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.

Lander improved to 13-1 overall and to 5-1 in league play while the Mountain Lions fell to 6-8 and 0-3. Young Harris returns to the diamond Tuesday (Feb. 25) when they host Southern Wesleyan University in a 2 p.m. contest. 

Lander's 4-5-6 hitters – designated hitter Thomas Berry, left fielder Weston Lawing and second baseman Graham Ramos – collected seven hits and nine RBI between the trio. Berry, who went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI, drove in a run with a single and Ramos, who went 2-for-5 with 3 RBI, added a two-run triple to right field as the Bearcats took a 3-0 first inning lead.

Lander added three more runs in the second as Erik Lunde had a sacrifice fly. Patrick Grady, who went 4-for-5, drove in another run on a double down the right field line while Berry, who was 2-for-4 with 3 RBI, added his own double down the left field line.

The Bearcats added single runs in the third and fourth innings before the Mountain Lions finally got to Lander starter Mason McCullough (1-0) in the sixth. Spencer Thomas started the inning by get the first hit – an infield single – off McCullough, who had struck out nine and allowed just one walk through the first five inning. Zach Odom was hit by a pitch and Josh Rudnik walked to load the bases and end the game for McCullough. Adam Moore drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly and Jack Morrow added a RBI single to left field.

Lander added four runs in the eighth inning, including a two-run double to left by Lawing, to close out the scoring.

Young Harris only had two hits against five Lander pitchers and struck out 14 times. Taylor Topping (1-2) took the loss for the Mountain Lions.