Saint Leo, Fla. ( March 16, 2007) – The Saint Leo University baseball team (17-10, 2-2 SSC) knocked off the visiting Florida Tech Panthers (17-8, 2-2 SSC) by a score of 10-3 in the opening game of a three-game Sunshine State Conference series Friday night.

Three Lion players registered two RBI on the night, led by senior 1B Eric Spicer (Jacksonville, Fla.) who went 2-for-3 with a home run and four runs scored.  Junior catcher Ricky Nolan (Seminole, Fla.) was also 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored.  Devon Cason (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) rounded out the trio, going 1-for-3 in the game.

A pair of solo home runs by J.D. Davidson and Eamonn Powers gave the visitors an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.  However, the Lions came roaring back with three runs in the bottom half of the first to take the lead for good.  Saint Leo added two more runs in the second, and the teams each scored a run in the third to make it a 6-3

Saint Leo pulled further ahead with a two-run fourth and added a single run in the sixth before Spicer delivered his team-leading seventh homer to lead off the eighth and cement the victory.

Lions’ starter Ryan Clark (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) picked up the win to improve to 5-2 on the season.  The junior went 7.0 innings, allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out 11.  Eric Nickolaison (So., Spring Hill, Fla.) shut out the Panthers in the final three innings.  Tech starter Jay Crouse picked up the loss, falling to 4-1 on the year.

The same two teams will battle again tomorrow in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Southard Stadium.