CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Saint Leo softball team (7-8) opened the 2011 Eckerd College Spring Invitational with 5-3, and 2-1 non-conference losses to Nova Southeastern and Tampa, Friday from the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater.
In the two region losses on Friday, a trio of Lions recorded multiple-hit games, including Elysha Agen who went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Ashlee Sismilich was 2-7 while Sarah Boyd was 2-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBI. Amber Martyn delivered a base hit and scored twice, and Kasey Postupack connected on an RBI single in game two. Katie Gwinn and Brittany Yates also etched their names with one base hit each.
In game one, a costly Lions’ error in the top of the fifth allowed the Sharks to score three unearned runs en route to victory.
Nova Southeastern made the first impact in the game as Dani Millan’s ground out to first base allowed Laura Saladrigas to cross the plate in the second inning.
The Sharks increased their lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning when Saladrigas stroked one of her two RBI singles up the middle to score Gina Bondarenko from second base.
Saint Leo answered in the bottom of the fourth inning, cutting the lead in half when Martyn advanced home on Boyd’s stolen base attempt.
Unfortunately, with the score 2-1, the Sharks capitalized on what became the game-deciding fielding miscue by the Lions. After Holly Roberson led the inning off with a single, Sara DeMuth reached on a muffed throw by the first baseman. With one out, Talenfeld connected on a sacrifice fly, scoring Roberson from third. The Sharks power hitter, Saladrigas, then followed by lacing a two-RBI single up the middle to plate both Gianni Artidiello and DeMuth to make the score 5-1.
Still, the Lions refused to quit as they answered with a pair of runs in the sixth. Postupack began the frame with a walk and stole second base shortly after. Next, Agen drew a walk to put runners on second and third. Boyd then delivered the big blow of the inning as she crushed a two-RBI double against the left centerfield wall to shrink the lead to 5-3.
After holding NSU scoreless in the seventh, the Lions mounted one last charge. Jaime Lee Basinger drew a one out walk and advanced to second on a Sismilich single. After Postupack sacrificed the runners up 60-feet, the Lions saw themselves with a chance to tie. Alas, Saint Leo couldn’t push the final runs across the plate as Yates popped out to shortstop.
The Lions saw six runners left on base, including three in scoring position.
Kristen Kelly, despite throwing four strong innings against a high-powered Sharks’ offense, was tagged with the loss as she fell to 1-1 in 2011.
Game two, on the other hand, saw Saint Leo battling conference rival, the University of Tampa.
The second inning was the story of this game as the Spartans broke through for two runs, the eventual final margin of victory. In the inning Julie Wiesnewski and Brittany Hipple posted a pair of RBI base hits to give them the early two-run advantage.
Defensive miscues for the Lions struck a again in the fourth inning as a two-out fly ball took a glancing blow off the right fielder’s glove allowing Becky Vyvas to come all the way around from first base to make the score 3-0.
Saint Leo finally got to Spartans’ hurler Kari Walsh in the top of the sixth when Postupack sent a liner into centerfield to score Gwinn from third base.
The 3-1 deficit, despite the Lions getting the leadoff batter into scoring position, could not mount a rally against Walsh as she kept pinch runner Alex Garris at second base and the score at 3-1.
Ashton Whidden fought hard but was pegged with the loss as she fell to 1-4 in 2011. In relief, Jaime Walker was phenomenal as she tossed 2.1 innings of hitless ball.
The Lions will return to action at the Eckerd College Spring Invitational tomorrow, February 26,when they take on the likes of the University of West Florida at 11:00 a.m. and Massachusetts-Lowell at 1:30 p.m.
Box Score: Game One
Box Score: Game Two
