Boca Raton, Fla. (March 28, 2008) – The Saint Leo baseball team (22-11, 5-4 SSC) fell in a heartbreaker to the Lynn University Fighting Knights (22-10, 6-2) Friday evening at McCusker Sportsplex. The Lions lost  4-3 on a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for their second consecutive loss.

Saint Leo bats totaled eight hits on the evening. Jason Hamm (So., Tampa, Fla.) led the way for the Lions going 3-for-4 with and RBI. Kyle Hobbs (Jr., Dade City, Fla.) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Yunior Tabares (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) added an RBI on his way to a 1-for-3 night.

The Lions and Knights were scoreless the first four innings of the game, but Lynn shortstop Chad Crowe hit a Carter Clements (Sr., Eustis, Fla.) offering over the left field fence putting the Lynn up 2-0 in the bottom on the fifth. Clements (5-2) went 6.0 innings surrendering only six hits and two runs (two earned) in the no-decision.

The Lions immediately answered in the top of the sixth when Bobby Munoz (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) scored on a Tabares single up the middle. Later in the inning Jonathan Duncan (Jr., Starke, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring T.J. Alonzo (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) to tie the game.

After outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the eight, Saint Leo struck with its third run of the game. Hamm singled home Hobbs from third base after he led off the inning with a double.

Crowe reached on an infield single to start the home side of the ninth. With one out, the Lions turned the ball over to closer Matt Smith (Sr., Dade City, Fla.), and Daniel Flores connected on a walk-off homer over the right field fence to win the game. The loss was Smith’s first on the season (1-1).

The Lions continue their SSC series with the Knights Saturday, March 29 with a doubleheader beginning at noon.