Saint Leo, Fla. (March 15, 2008) – The Saint Leo softball team (14-5) swept a doubleheader over Molloy College (2-2) Saturday afternoon at University Field. Ashley Urbanik (Jr., Riverview, Fla.) threw a complete-game no-hitter in an 8-0 first game victory (six innings). Tatiana Casis (Jr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) hit a first inning home run to centerfield en route to a 2-1 Saint Leo victory in game two.
Urbanik put the Molloy bats to rest, as she dominated the strike zone in game one going 6.0 innings, striking out 12 and not allowing a hit. Urbanik has now collected three no-hitters in 14 appearances on the season. Casis went a combined 5-for-7 with three RBI, and hit for the cycle in the doubleheader. April Slate (Sr., Land O’Lakes, Fla.) was also a combined 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base.
The Lions offense backed up her strong effort on the mound, as they combined for 12 hits and scored eight runs. Saint Leo began its scoring in the second inning as Heather Stroud (Sr., San Antonio, Fla.) scored on a Molloy throwing error. SLU would score two more times in the inning when Slate scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Amanda Patrick, (Fr., Tampa, Fla.). Ally Maddox (Jr., Brandon, Fla.) then brought home Patrick with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Lions would pick up another run in the fourth, as Casis tripled home Patrick. In the bottom of the fifth the Lions added three more runs as Urbanik, Monique Dominguez (Sr., LaPuente, Calif.) and Stroud all crossed the plate. The Lions picked up their final run of the afternoon in the sixth, as Casis doubled to deep centerfield once again scoring Patrick.
The offense got off to a quick start in the second game as Casis, the Lions DP, sent a towering fly ball deep over the centerfield fence to put the Lions up 1-0. The Lions maintained the lead until the top of the fifth when Molloy scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game 1-1. But the Lions recaptured the lead in the sixth inning when Urbanik delivered a two-out single to score Casis with what proved to be the game-winning run.
Kiki VonHolt (Sr., New Port Richey, Fla.) went 5.0 innings, giving up five hits and one run in the no-decision. Meanwhile, Urbanik came in at the top of the sixth with the score tied and recorded her 10th victory (10-3) of the season tossing 2.0 innings and giving up one hit.
The Lions return to action on Monday, March 17 at University Field against #17 LIU-C.W. Post in a doubleheader beginning at 5:00 p.m.
