Box Score SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo junior Bryan Nunez and sophomore Lane Stancil each provided two-run doubles to lead the Lions to a 6-5 victory over the University of Montevallo, in Saturday's second game of the two teams' three-game baseball series at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.
Nunez stroked his double down the right field line with one out in the 2nd inning, allowing Zach Gary and Shane Williams to score and give the Lions a 3-2 lead. Williams reached earlier in the frame on a single up the middle, while Gary got aboard with a double down the left field line. Mike Mann led the inning with a double down the line into left, later scoring on Gary's hit.
Alex Mata, Friday night's hero in a 9-8, 11-inning win, got aboard with a single into left to lead off the 3rd, and came home later in the inning on Williams' unassisted grounder to first. That set the table for Stancil's one-out double to right, plating Mann and Troy Sieber to give Saint Leo a 6-3 lead through three complete.
Saint Leo reliever Andrew Cohen shut down any Montevallo rally effort and earned the save for his three-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief work, fanning three Montevallo batters while allowing just one hit.
Cohen came on with one out in the Montevallo 6th with Saint Leo leading 6-4, after starter Jordan Pendleton allowed a leadoff double and reliever Ethan Lichtenberg yielded a second double and put two more runners aboard. Cohen induced a sac fly to center and an unassisted grounder to first to get out of the jam, while allowing just one run to cross.
Cohen retired the side in the 7th and 9th innings, and worked his way out of trouble in the 8th with a pair of bases loaded strikeouts.
Saint Leo starter Jordan Pendleton picked up the win for his five innings of work; he struck out four batters against just two walks in his 85-pitch outing.
Mann finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, to go with Stancil and Nunez who each had a hit and two RBI.
Dominic DeVille paced the Montevallo side with a 3-for-4 effort, including a two-run home run to left field with one out in the top of the first. Falcon starter Trent Higginbotham was tagged for all six Saint Leo runs in four innings on the mound, allowing eight hits with three strikeouts.
The three-game series between Saint Leo and Montevallo continues on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Southard Stadium, and concludes with game three on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
For the latest news, updates and information on the Saint Leo baseball 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.
