LOXLEY, Ala. – Lamar University's Cody Banach is tied for eighth after Saturday's first two rounds of the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational.
 
Banach, who fired a 2-under-par 70 in the first round and a 1-over 73 in the second round to end the day at 1-under 143, is just three strokes behind a trio of golfers tied for first at 4-under 140. Sharing the lead are Lee Hodges and Jonathan Hardee of Alabama along with Kentucky's Lukas Euler.
 
Banach lit up the front nine of the par-72, 7,096-yard layout of the Steelwood Country Club. Banach was 7-under on the day on the front nine, going 3-under-par in the first round and 4-under-par in the late-afternoon session.
 
As a team, the Cardinals are 12^th in the 12-team field at 36-over 612. LU was seventh after the opening round, posting a 299, but the Cardinals struggled to a 313 in the second round. LU enters Sunday's final round eight shots behind 11^th-place Richmond. The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide lead the tournament at 3-under-par 573, six shots ahead of defending tourney champion Kennesaw State. Eighth-ranked Kentucky is sixth at 8-over-par 584.
 
LU's Eason Wang is 40^th at 153 after rounds of 76 and 77. Garett James bounced back with a 77 in the afternoon after an opening-round 83 to end the day tied for 59^th at 160.
 
Tournament play concludes with a single round on Sunday.