SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo University softball team (28-22, 7-12 SSC) scored three times in the first inning, en route to a 4-0 win over Eckerd College (20-34, 3-16 SSC) in Tuesday night’s Sunshine State Conference series opener at University Field.

Elysha Agen set the tone early for the Lions as she led the game off with a booming home run over the rightfield fence to give the Lions an early 1-0 lead. The blast was her first of the 2009 campaign.

It was just the first of five hits in the inning for Saint Leo as Tiffinee Harvey and Ashley Urbanik peppered the left centerfield fence with consecutive doubles. With the score 2-0 and Urbanik at second Brittany Yates delivered her first of three hits on the night, doubling to left centerfield bringing home the Lions third run of the inning.

That was all the offense the Lions needed as Urbanik (17-18) was nearly untouchable in the circle. The Lions ace hurled seven innings of three-hit ball, while striking out 10 Tritons and not allowing a base on balls.

Yates culminated the night by providing an insurance run in the sixth inning, as she connected on her 12th home run of the 2009 season. Yates stands first in the SSC with home runs by a freshman.

Of the Lions nine hits on the night, six of which were for extra bases and stands just one home run shy of the all-time team record set in 2008.

Urbanik closed the deal in the seventh with two of her seven strikeouts looking as SLU picked up their second conference victory in the last three attempts.

In Urbanik’s last four outings she has surrendered only two earned runs in 24 and one-third innings pitched.

Saint Leo returns to University one last time on Wednesday, April 22 for a doubleheader against the very same Tritons. The softball program will also bid farewell to four seniors tomorrow night as Stephanie Discepolo, Tatiana Casis, Ally Maddox and Ashley Urbanik run out onto University Field one last time. First pitch for the game is scheduled for 6:00 pm with senior day presentations coming in between games.