SAINT LEO, Fla. – Finally a close game went the Lions way as the Saint Leo baseball team pulled out a clutch 4-3 win over Lynn in Sunshine State Conference action at Thomas B. Southard Stadium on Friday night.
The Lions (9-10, 1-0 SSC) picked up the win despite staring at a 3-2 deficit as the game moved into the fourth inning.
Scoring first, Saint Leo scored the game’s first two runs in the opening inning as Ryan Brnovich led off with a triple and sparked a four-hit inning.
One swing gave Lynn the advantage in the third inning when first baseman Anthony Boza took the first pitch that Saint Leo starter Aaron Brandt sent his way and deposited it over the left field fence. Bringing the two runners on base home as well, the Lions were suddenly fighting from behind.
Brandt would recover as that would prove to be the only runs the Fighting Knights would score in the game. He would end up tossing over six innings, allowing seven hits and striking out three to improve to 2-2 overall.
Saint Leo first baseman Anthony Santa started the comeback when he led off the fourth inning with his third triple of the season. He would later touch home when third baseman Kory Wan shot a 1-0 pitch up the middle, tying the game.
SLU took the lead when Bronovich singled to lead off the next inning. He would move to second on a sacrifice bunt from Chris Newcomb and then to third on a wild pitch. Ryan Powers would notch his second RBI of the game when he singled to left field, bringing Bronovich home with the go-ahead run.
It was a game where the Lions bullpen pulled their weight when Austin Buck and Marshall Stalvey combined to toss the final three innings, shutting down the visitors from Boca Raton, Fla. Stalvey would earn his second save of the season when the Saint Leo defense, who worked an errorless game, pulled out a 4-6-3 double play to send everyone home happy.
Powers would finish with a 2-for-4, two RBI evening and Ware Hart would go 2-for-3.
Both teams will continue the Sunshine State Conference series with a doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Thomas B. Southard Stadium on the Saint Leo campus.
