GREENWOOD - The Peach Belt Conference baseball game between 11th-ranked Francis Marion University and 17th-ranked Lander University was suspended in the bottom of the fifth inning Sunday evening (March 15) due to rain with the Bearcats leading 11-1.

Lander (17-6) and the Patriots (17-7-1) will try to finish the suspended game and then also play a double-header Monday at Legion Field, if weather permits. The forecast calls for more rain into Sunday night and Monday.

The series was originally to include a single game on Saturday and a doubleheader Sunday, but rain postponed Saturday's game and Sunday's rescheduled twinbill started late due to more precipitation.

The teams played in on-and-off rain late Sunday afternoon before a more steady rain arrived, causing field conditions to deteriorate. When Francis Marion's shortstop slipped in the mud trying to field a batted ball in the fifth frame, played was halted. Several minutes later, umpires and coaches agreed to suspend the game.

If the teams are unable to finish the game Monday, Sunday's game will become a Lander victory as the contest officially surpassed the halfway point.

The Bearcats scored nine runs on five hits and five walks in the first inning. Brian Bender and Devin Ridlehoover started the rally with singles, Bud Lanier hit a two-run single, Gabe McCann smacked a two-run double, Bender hit a sacrifice fly, Josh Lovvorn drew a bases-loaded walk, and Robert Skinner drilled a two-run single. Francis Marion starting pitcher David Walters did not record an out and Jarrott Hooks finished the first.

Lander starter Drew Elliott did not have any problems adjusting to the field conditions, pitching no-hit ball through the first four innings. But Francis Marion ended the no-hit bid with one out in the fifth when senior third baseman Keon Graves hit a solo homer over the left-field fence, his fifth long-ball of the season.

The Bearcats extended their lead to 11-1 in the fifth when Ridlehoover reached on a bunt single in front of the plate, and Lovvorn followed with his first home run of the season. The next batter, Skinner, hit a ball to short that was bobbled by Barrett Kleinknecht, who then lost his footing.