GREENWOOD, S.C. -- Connor Lewis and Colby Painter each homered and Dylan Wolchik pitched into the eighth inning Saturday as No. 4 Lander beat Peach Belt Conference rival Francis Marion 12-3.
Wolchik (4-0) got the win, allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings of work. Johnny Walker pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing an unearned run in the ninth. Spencer Jordan (1-3) took the loss for Francis Marion.
Painter was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI, Lewis was also 3-for-4 with a homer and three runs scored, Thomas Berry went 3-for-4 with two RBI, Patrick Grady was 2-for-5 with an RBI; Chris Hyatt was 2-fo-4 with two doubles and two runs scored, and Weston Lawing was 1-for-5 with three RBI.
Michael Wilson and Marquis Curry each went 2-for-4 with a homer to lead the Patriots.
Painter led off the second with a homer over the right-field fence, giving the Bearcats a 3-0 lead. It was his third home run of the season. Lewis led off the bottom of the third with his fifth homer of the season, lifting the ball over the right-field fence for a 4-0 lead.
Lander added two more runs in the third when Graham Ramos singled, Hyatt smashed an RBI double into the left-field corner, and Painter drilled a run-scoring single to center, chasing Patriots starting pitcher Jordan.
Lander improved to 18-2, 8-2 in the Peach Belt. The Patriots fell to 9-8, 2-5.
