Due West, SC---Erskine scored a run in the bottom of the ninth and a run in the bottom of the 10th to take a 2-1 victory over local rival Lander University Tuesday afternoon in non conference baseball action.
The Bearcats got on the board in the top of the first, with two outs Robert Skinner would lay down a perfect bunt down the third base line that would score Brian Bender to give Lander the 1-0 lead. After that score, the game turned into a pitchers duel between Erskine starter
William Buzhardt (Columbia, SC, Ben Lippen High School) and Lander starter Tim Rau. Buzhardt would not allow another run in the next six innings of work and struck out seven Bearcats, but left the game in the top of the eighth on the short end of a 1-0 game. Rau was just as effective for Lander, pitching eight shut out innings and striking out three batters and left the game in line for the win.
In the bottom of the ninth Lander brought in David Glover to close out the game. After getting the first Erskine batter to ground out,
John Bolding (Pickens, SC, Pickens High School) came to the plate and lined a shot into the left center field gap and would come all the way around to score in the inside the park home run and tie the game. Glover would settle down and retire the next two hitters to send the game into extra innings. Devin Ridlehoover would line a double into the left center gap with one out in the tenth to put the go ahead run in scoring position for Lander, but the Fleet would bring in
Atlee Pearson (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) who then retired the next two batters to end the rally.
Glover would strike out the lead off hitter for Erskine, but would then walk
Keith Hill (Abbeville, SC, Abbeville High School) and give up a single to
Chas Anthony (Pickens, SC, Pickens High School) to put runners at first and second. The Bearcats then brought in Andy Quick who would get
Matt Schneider (Greenville, SC, Greenville High School) to fly out to right field that moved Hill to third base with two outs.
Mo Seay (Anderson, SC, Wofford College) came to the plate and would hit a ground ball up the middle that the Lander shortstop was unable to field cleanly allowing the winning run to score.
Bolding finished the game 2-4 with a home run and RBI to lead the Fleet, while Hill was 2-4 with a run scored. Pearson (3-1) picked up the win pitching two-thirds of an inning of relief.
Bender led the Bearcats at the plate going 3-5 with a double and run scored, while Nate Mangiapane was 2-4 with a double. Glover (1-1) took the loss allowing two runs (one earned) in one and a third innings of work.
With the win Erskine improves to 19-7, while Lander falls to 18-7 on the year.
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