ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – After nearly six innings of scoreless baseball, the Saint Leo baseball team fell to the Flagler Saints by a 3-1 score, Wednesday night from Drysdale Field on Flagler's campus. The regional loss pushed the Lions to a 12-7 overall record this season.

Despite threatening to score in multiple innings, both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when the Saints' Tyler Vanover collected a one-out double to score teammate Jake Taylor.

Saint Leo retaliated in the top of the eighth, as Taylor Perez scored to tie the game at 1-1. He led off the inning, reaching on an error and taking second base on a sacrifice from senior Fran Whitten. The Saints erred on the next play, allowing Perez to cross home plate and tie the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Saints fought back, tallying two more runs off a two-run homer from Vanover. The timely hit gave Flagler a 3-1 lead heading into the ninth.

Trailing by two in the top of the ninth inning, the Lions were unable to garner any momentum, falling to Flagler by a 3-1 score.

Junior LHP Jordan Taylor took the mound for the Lions in the effort, tossing six complete innings before allowing one run. In the seventh inning, junior righty Liam O'Sullivan came in for relief, throwing one full inning in which he allowed just one hit. 

After Saint Leo tied the game in the seventh, senior lefty Brandon Terry pitched the eighth. Though he allowed just two hits, Terry earned the loss in the contest, giving him a 2-2 record on the year.

The pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts on the night, allowing just seven hits and three walks.

As a team, four Lions combined to earn seven hits in the loss. In addition to multi-hit efforts from Taylor Perez and Bobby Twitty, freshman Alex Mata and junior Kevin Games also notched hits in the effort.

The Lions will return to action on Friday, March 14 when they host the visiting No. 9 Fanklin Pierce Ravens in the start of a three-day, three game series. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.

For more on the Saint Leo baseball team, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Also, be sure to 'Like' the Lions on Facebook and 'Follow' Saint Leo Athletics on Twitter and Instagram.