St. Petersburg, Fla. (March 25, 2008) – The Saint Leo softball team (21-6, 4-0 SSC) defeated the Eckerd College Tritons (8-33, 2-5 SSC) by the score of 13-0 Tuesday night at Turley Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. in Sunshine State Conference action.
Ashley Urbanik (Jr., Riverview, Fla.) tossed another gem throwing 3.0 innings, giving up no hits, no runs and striking out eight. Urbanik (15-3) helped herself out at the plate going 1-for-4, with a HR and two RBI. Stephanie Discepolo (Jr., Spring Hill, Fla.) also went 1-for-1, with a HR and two RBI. Tatiana Casis (Jr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and totaling five RBI on the evening. Elysha Agen (Fr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) was 2-for-3, with two RBI.
The Lions started quickly in the top of the first inning, as Urbanik crushed her fifth home run of the season over the left field fence. The two-run shot scored Casis from second base. The Lions didn’t stop, as Discepolo launched her third home run in the top of the first. Her two-run home run scored Ally Maddox (Jr., Brandon, Fla.) who earlier reached on a single. Capping off the Lions four-run first inning.
The Lions exploded in the third inning scoring seven runs on four hits highlighted by Casis launching her SSC leading ninth home run in grand fashion. After the Lions loaded the bases, Shelley Barteltt (Sr., Sarasota, Fla.) walked to bring home Maddox from third, the Lions first run of the inning. Agen then singled up the middle to score Kasey Postupack (Fr., Seminole, Fla.). After Amanda Patrick (Fr., Tampa, Fla.) was hit by a pitch, scoring Heather Stroud (Sr., San Antonio, Fla.) Casis stepped to the plate. With one out in the inning Casis launched her grand slam deep over the leftfield fence to push the Lions lead to 13-0. The grand slam by Casis ties her with Christina VanTassel for most home runs in a single season (9) in Saint Leo softball history.
Ashton Whidden (Fr., Parrish, Fla.) also threw 2.0 innings and did not allow a hit. The Lions collected 12 hits on the night.
The Lions continue SSC action Wednesday, March 26 against the Eckerd College Tritions in a doubleheader beginning at 6:00 p.m.
