Due West, SC – The #17 Flying Fleet came back from an early 3-0 hole to take a 9-8 victory over visiting Lander University Wednesday afternoon in non conference baseball action.
The Bearcats would get on the board in the top of the first inning when AJ Nunziato belted a two run home run to right field. Lander would push their lead to 3-0 the next inning when Jeff May led off the inning with the second home run of the game. Erskine would cut into the Bearcat lead in the bottom half of the inning when Drew Willingham (Hodges, SC, Greenwood HS) scored on a double to left center by Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, SC, Byrnes HS). Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Willingham would tie the game with a three run home run to left centerfield.
The Bearcats would regain their lead the next half inning when Erik Lunde scored on a single by Robert Skinner. The Fleet would respond in the bottom of the inning, after Zach Smith (Lexington, SC, White Knoll HS) led off with a double, he would score on a single by Will Huff (Suga Hill, GA, North Gwinnett HS) to tie the game. Huff would then steal second, advance to third on an errant throw, and then later score on a wild pitch to give Erskine the lead. Carlton Watts (Laurens, SC, Spartanburg Methodist) who came into the in the third inning would hold the Bearcat offense scoreless for in the fifth, and Erskine would take advantage. After a one out single by Willingham, Brian Laznik (Chardon, OH, Lakeland CC) would blast a 1-0 pitch into the right field trees and Smith would follow with an opposite field blast to give Erskine a 9-5 lead.
Alan Abreu would lead off the sixth inning for the Bearcats and would later score on Skinner’s second RBI single of the game that also scored Marshall Creed on a throwing error to cut the Erskine lead to two runs, but Erskine closer Atlee Pearson (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) would come into the game and retire the first hitter he faced to end the rally. Lander would make it a one run game in the eighth. Lunde would led off with a walk and advance to second on another Erskine error and later score on a ground out by Skinner. The Bearcats would go down fighting in the ninth, with Nunziato reaching on an error to lead off the inning and eventually reach third base with two outs, but Pearson would end the game with his third strikeout of the game.
Willingham led the Fleet at the plate going 3-4 with a homerun and three RBI’s while Smith was 2-3with a double, homerun and two runs scored. Watts (2-0) picked up the win in relief allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four in three and a third innings pitched. Pearson picked up his first save of the season allowing one unearned run and striking out three in three and a third innings. With the save, Pearson now has 30 career saves and is just two away from tying former Erskine closer Jake Williams for the NCAA record.
Skinner led the Bearcats going 3-5 with three RBI’s while Creed was 2-4 with a run scored. Todd Hughson (1-1) took the loss for Lander allowing six runs on six hits in three and two-thirds innings of work.
With the win Erskine improves to 6-0 while the Bearcats fall to 5-4 with the loss.
Box Score
