BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Saint Leo University softball team (15-10, 2-2 SSC) extended their winning streak to five games, as they defeated the Lynn University Fighting Knights (10-14, 0-4 SSC), 6-3 in the opening game of a three-game Sunshine State Conference series, Friday afternoon from the McCusker Complex in Boca Raton, Fla.

Tatiana Casis provided the offensive spark for the Lions once again, smacking two home runs and driving in three runs, while catcher Brittany Yates delivered her seventh home run of the season in the first inning. Lions’ starter Ashley Urbanik did a tremendous job in the circle for Saint Leo, tossing seven complete innings, scattering only five hits and sitting down eight Fighting Knights in the win.

Saint Leo quickly put the Fighting Knights at a deficit, as Casis and Yates connected on a pair of home runs to give SLU  a 3-0 lead.

With two down and nobody on, Casis started the Lions scoring by sending her team leading 12th round-tripper down the leftfield line and over the fence to give SLU a 1-0 lead. After a walk to Ally Maddox, it was Yates turn at the plate and she did not disappoint, launching a 2-2 offering to nearly the identical spot of Casis’s ball down the leftfield line, extending the Lions lead to 3-0.

Lynn jumped on the scoreboard in the third, as a groundout by Meaghan Osbourne scored Brittany Gross from third base after she had reached on a bloop double.

After neither team could score in the fourth inning, the Green and Gold blew the game wide open in the fifth. Amber Martyn was the first to plate an SLU run as came around to score on a throwing error by the Fighting Knights’ second baseman. The error extended the inning for the hot-swinging Casis and with Tiffinee Harvey on second, Casis made best of her opportunity, as she took a Christie Kaufman offering deep over the left centerfield fence to push the Lions lead to 6-1.

The Fighting Knights tried to stay in the game, as they scored their second run of the ball game in the bottom half of the inning off a pair of singles.

In the next inning, Urbanik (8-9) did a tremendous job to work out of a bases loaded jam surrendering just one run, using a strike out and a double play to minimize the damage.

With the score 6-3 in favor of the Lions heading into the bottom of the seventh, Lynn gave one more shot at the Lions’ ace but could not break through as Urbanik buckled down and struck out two of the final three batters looking.

Saint Leo has now won eight of their last nine games, while Urbanik has won three consecutive decisions. Casis has also recorded a hit in eight of her last nine games.

The Lions will conclude their SSC series with the Lynn University Fighting Knights in doubleheader action on Saturday, March 14 from the McCusker Complex. It’s an early start as well, with the first pitch coming at 10:00 am. Both games will be broadcasted live on the Saint Leo Lions AudioCast Network.