LAKELAND, Fla. – Concluding the regular season with 50 shutout innings, the Saint Leo University softball team extended its scoreless-streak with a doubleheader sweep of Florida Southern College on Saturday at Barnett Field. The Green and Gold posted a 3-0 victory in the first contest of the day before finishing with its seventh shutout in a row behind a 4-0 final tally.
The Lions complete the regular season with a 39-12 record and a 15-9 tally in Sunshine State Conference play while the Mocs finish their 2015 campaign with a 19-32 record, 5-19 in SSC action.
The 50-innings without allowing a run is a Saint Leo softball record and the seven consecutive shutouts stands as another program first. The previous scoreless mark was set in 2005 with five-straight shutouts and 35 innings. The NCAA Division II record for consecutive shutout innings is held by SSC foe Barry, as the 1990 softball squad pitched 75 innings without allowing a run.
The Lions pitching staff shrinks its No. 2-ranked team ERA down to 1.23 after adding another 14 shutout frames. Saint Leo has 18 shutouts this season including two no-hitters in its 51-game regular season.
Freshman Samantha Tyler (9-2, 1.28 ERA) pitched the first contest, twirling a seven-inning gem while scattering eight hits and striking out a career-high 11 batters for her ninth win of the season.
Senior Adriana Sanders began the scoring attack early for the Lions, as the third-baseman plated a run in the opening inning with a single to left field to give Saint Leo a 1-0 advantage over FSC.
Shortstop Brittany Creamer tacked on another run with a RBI double in the bottom of the seventh before Tori Thomas laced a double to left to score pinch-runner Rachael Heath from second and conclude the first contest with a 3-0 win.
Mocs starting pitcher Taylor Bowen (3-10, 3.77 ERA) was credited with the loss, tossing seven frames while allowing a single earned run off of six hits. The right-hander walked one and picked up a lone strikeout.
The Green and Gold continued its momentum in the second game as a barrage of eight hits led to a 4-0 defeat to sweep the Mocs and give Saint Leo an 11-game win streak.
Senior Ashley Ehlers (14-5, 1.53 ERA) started in the circle for game two, tossing another seven-inning shutout while limiting FSC to three hits and no walks. The right-hander struck out seven batters to notch her 14th win of the season.
Catcher Thomas was the hero for game two, blasting her second home run of the season over the left field fence to add a pair of runs to the scoreboard and give Saint Leo a 2-0 lead in the second inning of play.
The Lions would add two insurance runs in the fourth, as a costly fielding error caused a pair of runners to cross the plate and finish the Green and Gold attack at a 4-0 final margin.
Mocs pitcher Brandi Jones (13-15, 1.99 ERA) was tabbed with the loss after allowing eight hits and four runs in her seven-innings in the circle.
The Lions await potential postseason selection, with the NCAA Division II Softball Selection Show Scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 10 a.m.
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.
