SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo University softball team earned its revenge over the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Saturday, sweeping its Valentine's Day double header by 7-2 and 3-0 scores, respectively.
The Lions improve to 8-2 on the season while the Sailfish fall to 5-4 on their 2015 campaign.
The Green and Gold ravaged the Sailfish, scoring 10 runs behind a 21-hit hit day from the Saint Leo bats. Saint Leo avenged its previous Sunday matchup against Palm Beach Atlantic, a game the Lions lost in the late innings by a 6-5 margin.
Freshman Ciera Schumaker was unstoppable at the plate as the shortstop hit 6-for-7 between the two games, adding a pair of runs, a RBI and a stolen base to the books.
Senior Adriana Sanders helped kick-start the offense in her season debut, hitting 4-for-7 on the day while swiping three bases and crossing the plate twice.
The Green and Gold offense surged in the opening game, as five Lions collected multiple hits in the contest. Saint Leo took the first game by a 7-2 final score behind a 15-hit attack.
Leadoff hitter McKenzie Burns posted a three-hit first game, scoring three times for Saint Leo. Third-baseman Sanders roped three hits, stole three bases and picked up a RBI in the first contest. Designated player Angela Kafalas and shortstop Schumaker also tallied a trio of hits in the first bout of the Valentine's Day doubleheader.
Freshman Sommer Pollard was the final Lions to have multiple hits on the day, reaching on a pair of singles and swiping a base in the 7-2 win. Senior Cassie Boggs drove in a pair of runs to round out the offense.
Junior Alana Tabel (4-0, 1.11 ERA) scattered nine hits across seven innings of work. The right-hander struck out six and allowed a single earned run to pick up the win.
Sailfish starter Amber Johnson (0-1, 6.52 ERA) was credited with her first loss of the season, being chased in the first inning while allowing a pair of runs off four hits.
The nightcap turned into an old-fashioned pitchers' duel, as the Green and Gold concluded the day with a 3-0 shutout in the second contest.
Freshman Samantha Tyler (3-0) pitched a masterful seven-inning, complete-game shutout to earn her third win of the season. The right-handed pitcher scattered four hits while issuing two walks and striking out eight to keep the Sailfish off the board. The Tampa, Fla. native shrunk her earned-run-average to a meager 0.71 mark.
Jana Wagner (2-1) was tabbed with the loss, allowing three runs off of six hits in six innings of work.
Schumaker hit a perfect 3-for-3 in the second game of the twin-bill, scoring a run for the Lions as the freshman shortstop is hitting .500 in her first collegiate season. Sophomore Michelle George and senior Kafalas each roped a RBI double on the contest to provide offense for Tyler's gem.
Saint Leo will continue its home stand with a Friday matinee against Stillman College. The Feb. 20th matchup is slated for a 2 p.m. start. Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be available through www.saintleolions.com.
For more information on the Saint Leo softball program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
