GREENWOOD, S.C. – Young Harris College score five runs over the first three innings as they held on for a 5-3 Peach Belt Conference baseball victory over Lander University Friday (Feb. 27) afternoon at Dolny Stadium.

The Mountain Lions improved to 6-8 overall and to 3-4 in the league while the defending Peach Belt champion Bearcats fell to 6-8 and 1-8. The two teams wrap up their three-game series with a noon doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 28).

The Mountains Lions took a 2-0 lead on Brett Westmoreland's two-run first-inning homer over the left field fence, then stretched their advantage to 5-0 in the third on an RBI single by Blake Suggs and Troy Kizer's two-RBI double.

The Bearcats, who stranded 17 runners on base, cut the margin to 5-2 in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by Zach Giczewski and Thomas Berry before Will Jones added a solo homer for the Bearcats in the fifth inning to trim the deficit to 5-3.

Justin Cooper (3-2) earned the win for the Mountain Lions after striking out five, walking four and allowing two earned runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Cole Amtmann earned his third save of the season with three strikeouts in two innings.

"We did a good job getting on base and had a couple key hits to get the lead early," said YHC head coach Travis Huffman. "All three pitchers threw well. (Justin) Cooper battled through some mistakes defensively to keep them out of big innings. (Dylan) Gibeau and (Cole) Amtmann made some big pitches in the later innings to keep them from getting anything going offensively."

Lander's Joe Mackey (1-2) suffered the loss, striking out four, walking two and allowing two earned runs in seven hits in 5.1 innings.