SAINT LEO, Fla. – Riding an eight-game win-streak, the Saint Leo University softball team picked up another doubleheader sweep to conclude the Saint Leo March Invite, Sunday at University Softball Stadium.
The Lions no-hit No. 14 Caldwell to begin the day, winning by a final score of 8-0 before taking a walk-off 5-4 win against Queens to finish the clean sweep.
The Green and Gold ends its busy week with a 24-7 overall record while the visiting Caldwell Cougars end the tournament 2-3. The Queens College Knights return home with an even 5-5 tally for their 2015 campaign.
Senior Ashley Ehlers (9-4, 1.90 ERA) earned both wins on the day, pitching 5.2 innings between the pair of contests. The pitcher entered in relief for both contests to garner both victories.
The pitching tandem of Samantha Tyler and Ehlers combined for five inning, no hitter, as the Lions defeated the Cougars by an 8-0 score. Ehlers entered after the first two batters of the game were issued walks to preserve the no-hit bid, pitching five innings while striking out five batters.
Junior Tiffany Thompson was the offensive catalyst, picking up three hits in as many at-bats while crossing the plate twice for the Green and Gold. Senior Adriana Sanders mirrored with a 2-for-2 effort, scoring two runs and crossing the plate once for Saint Leo. Outfielder Cassie Boggs added a pair of RBI thanks to a two-bagger in the bottom of the first.
Senior McKenzie Burns continues to tear up the base-paths, notching a pair of hits while swiping two bags and scoring twice for the Lions.
Cougars hurler Sarah Almasy (0-1) was credited with the loss, recording one out in her first start of the season. The right-hander yielded four runs off of three hits in the five batters she faced.
In game two against Queens, the Lions led for most of the contest, scoring four runs in the second and third innings. Knights utility player Toni Marie Valeriano launched a solo home run in the sixth to bring the game to within a pair of runs as Saint Leo led 4-2.
Queens knotted the score in the top of the seventh, as the Knights added a pair of runs after a throwing error extended the inning and allowed for a 4-4 tie entering the home half of the seventh frame.
Kafalas was hit by a pitch to begin the seventh before an error by the Knights caused a first and third situation with no outs. Queens turned to Isabelle Yaroch to try and get out of the jam, but Brittany Creamer had other plans, scoring pinch runner Rachael Heath and winning the game with a 5-4 advantage.
Senior Ehlers(9-4) picked up her ninth win of the season, entering the game in the seventh with the bases loaded. The Dunedin, Fla. native induced a double play to end the inning in the seventh before the Lions scored the winning run in the home half of the stanza.
Junior Alana Tabel threw six-plus innings, surrendering just two earned runs off of three hits in the no-decision effort.
Queens hurler Valeriano (2-2) was tabbed with the loss, issuing a hit-batsman which ended up being the deciding run of the game.
The Lions will hit the road to play Palm Beach Atlantic University on Wednesday, March 18. The doubleheader will be played at the Rinker Athletic Complex, with the first game scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.
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.
