MELBOURNE, Fla. – After falling 9-6 in game one, the Saint Leo softball team (23-25, 7-11 SSC) saw another outstanding pitching effort from Kristen Kelly, coupled clutch hitting, as the Lions downed the Florida Tech Panthers, 3-2, in the second game of the doubleheader, Saturday afternoon from Nancy Bottge Field. The Sunshine State Conference victory gave the Lions the series and put them in a tie for fourth in the Sunshine State Conference.
Offensively, the Lions were led by Brittany Yates and her 3-for-5 performance. The catcher posted a double and her 30th career home run, as well as collecting two RBI. Four other Lions including, Sarah Boyd, Amber Martyn, Alex Garris and Diane Gonzalez each posted two hits apiece. Ali Lamb drove in a pair while both Yates and Boyd scored twice.
Game one saw Saint Leo pick up where they previously left off. Capitalizing on an early Panthers miscue, the Lions jumped up 1-0 on Tech starter Brianna Barth as Ashlee Sismilich, who reached on an error to lead-off the game, came around to score on a Martyn RBI single.
However, Saint Leo let Florida Tech back into the contest as leadoff triple, coupled with three first inning errors set the tone for the rest of the game.
The big blow in the inning came off the bat of Emily Densem as she roped a two-RBI triple to leftfield. In total, four Panthers’ runs crossed the plate on only two hits, while each error eventually became a tally on the scoreboard.
Two additional Tech runs scored in the second inning as four singles added to the Panthers hit and run total as they commanded a 6-1 lead.
Showing fight, the Lions responded in the fourth inning as the pinch hitter, Lamb, poked a bases loaded, two-RBI single in the hole at shortstop. Two batters later, Yates put the finishing touches on the three-run frame as she drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 6-4.
The comeback continued into the fifth inning as Danielle Moreda’s fielder’s choice gave Boyd the opportunity to score the Lions’ fifth run, before a sacrifice fly from Ana Castillo notched the game at six runs apiece.
Unfortunately, the comeback faced a difficult challenge in the bottom half of the inning as the Lions’ fourth error of the ballgame extended the inning for Sarah Oram. From there, Oram connected on the team’s fourth triple of the contest as the three-RBI knock pushed the score to its eventual 9-6 final.
Despite allowing only three earned runs, Megan Still collected the loss for the Lions as she fell to 9-9.
Knowing they had one slip through their fingers in game one, the Lions immediately jumped on top of Tech with a run in the first inning of game two. Garris, after walking to leadoff the game, crossed the plate after Elysha Agen roped an RBI single into leftfield.
In the top of the third inning, Yates blasted her 30th career home run over the left field fence as the solo shot made the score 2-0.
Saint Leo fielding woes reared their head again in the bottom half of the inning as a throwing error allowed two Panthers to score, tying the game at two apiece.
The Lions answered in the fifth inning when Boyd’s RBI single down the leftfield line allowed Yates to score from second base allowing SLU to retake a 3-2 lead.
The Yates run was the eventual game-winner as for the second consecutive day Kristen Kelly (8-3) went the distance for the Lions. In seven innings, Kelly scattered a minimal four hits while not surrendering an earned run. In addition, the Valrico, Fla. native struck out two and did not walk a batter.
In two games against the Panthers, Kelly has posted a 2-0 record while tossing 14 innings. She surrendered just eight hits, allowed no walks and held opposing hitters to bat a miniscule .157.
The Lions will continue SSC action on Thursday, April 21 when they welcome in the fifth-ranked Rollins College Tars to University Stadium for a three game series. A doubleheader on Thursday beginning at 6:00 p.m. will kick off the series.
Game One: Box Score
Game Two: Box Score
