AIKEN, SC (May 10, 2014) – Connor Lewis smacked three of Lander University's six home runs Saturday afternoon to lead the top-seeded and second-ranked Bearcats to a 14-4 first-round win over eighth-seeded Francis Marion University in the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament hosted by USC Aiken at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

Lander (46-6), which has won its last 15 games, advances to Sunday's semifinal-round, while Francis Marion concludes its season with a 28-22 overall record.

FMU took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as four of the first five Patriot batters came around to score.  The frame was highlighted by a two-RBI double from junior first baseman Conner Wessel and RBI singles by junior right fielder Zac Lenns and senior second baseman Brett Fulmer.

Lander responded by scoring 14 unanswered runs between the third and eighth innings. The Bearcats started their comeback one home run at a time. Lewis started with a leadoff homer in the third to cut the Patriot lead to 4-1. Thomas Bess and Erik Lunde clouted back-to-back roundtrippers in the fourth, followed by Lewis' second home run – a two-run blast – which gave Lander a 5-4 advantage.

The Bearcats added three runs in the fifth, two in the seventh, and four in the eighth.

Lewis, who extended his Lander single-season home run record to 19, becomes the third LU player to hit three homers in a game. Lewis' three homers ties a PBC Tournament record set by Georgia Regent's Shannon Wilkerson who did it in 2008.  Lander's six home runs as a team also ties a PBC Tournament mark, set by North Georgia in 2008.

Taylor Alvarez (9-2) earned the win on the mound in relief, striking out seven and allowing four hits in seven shutout innings.

Francis Marion junior left-hander Cody Dix (3-2) suffered the loss after walking one and allowing two earned runs on two hits. Dix relieved Patriot starter Jordy Santak in the fourth inning.

Francis Marion ended the game with seven hits. Wessel finished the game with two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored. Lenns also had a pair of hits and an RBI, while senior left fielder  Marquis Curry was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored. Fulmer and junior catcher Nicholas McGee had the other two Patriot hits.

Francis Marion loses 13 seniors off this year's roster.

#2 Lander 14, Francis Marion Univ. 4 (May 10, 2014 at Aiken, SC)
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Francis Marion Univ. 400 000 000  -  4  7  2      (28-22)
Lander..............        001 430 24X  - 14 17  1      (46-6)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion Univ. - Jordy Santak; Cody Dix(4); Jeffrey Stoner(4);
Brandon Stoots(5); Daniel Barfield(8); Jeremy Hatfield(8) and Nicholas McGee. Lander - Jones;
Walker(2); Alvarez(3) and Hyatt.
Win-Alvarez(9-2)  Loss-Cody Dix(3-2)  T-3:05  A-100
HR LANDER - Lunde; Grady; Lewis 3; Bess.
Weather: Cloudy, 72
Jones faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
Dix faced 3 batters in the 4th.