Boca Raton, Fla. (March 30, 2007) – The Saint Leo University softball team (24-14, 6-4 SSC) edged Lynn University (13-21, 3-7 SSC) by a score of 5-3 in eight innings Friday night in the first game of a Sunshine State Conference series in Boca Raton, Fla.

Saint Leo 2B Heather Stroud (Jr., San Antonio, Fla.) went 2-for-4 on the night with three RBI and also scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning.  Erin Brunt (Sr., Clearwater, Fla.) and Christina Van Tassel (Sr., Valparaiso, Fla.) also went 2-for-4 on the night.

The Lions took the lead with a run in the second inning, and doubled the advantage with an RBI double by Stroud in the fourth.

Lynn fought back to take the lead in the fifth inning, scoring three runs.  Danielle Curcio delivered a two-run single in the inning, and a throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score.

Saint Leo tied the game again in the sixth with Brunt leading the inning off with a single.  The Lions strung together three consecutive singles, including an RBI single by Stroud that tied the score at three apiece and eventually force extra innings.

The Lions then took advantage of a pair of defensive errors by the Fighting Knights, scoring a pair of two-out runs in the eighth inning.  April Slate (Jr., Land O’Lakes, Fla.) delivered what proved to be the game-winning run with a single through the left side and Hayley Mallory (Sr., Plant City, Fla.) followed with another RBI single to provide insurance and the final margin.

The same two teams will battle again tomorrow, rounding out the three-game conference series with a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.