SAINT LEO, Fla. – No. 11 Saint Leo defeats Lynn in doubleheader action 2-0 in game one and 9-1 in game two in five innings at University Softball Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Lions improved to 21-1 overall and hold a 8-1 mark in the Sunshine State Conference as the Fighting Knights are now 9-18-1 and 1-6-1 SSC.
With the 21-1 start to the season, it marks the best start to a season through 22 games. The second best was in 1994 when the team started out 18-0 and dropped two straight before reaching the 22 game mark with a 20-2 record.
Both Saint Leo pitchers earned the wins as first game pitcher Alana Tabel moved to 8-0 on the year and second game pitcher Samantha Tyler moves to 5-0.
GAME ONE – No. 11 Saint Leo 2, Lynn 0
Saint Leo improved to 20-1 and 7-1 SSC with their 2-0 win over Lynn as Alana Tabel keeps her undefeated streak alive. Tabel pitched the full seven innings and gave up three hits and two strikeouts on her way to earning her eighth win of the year.
Saint Leo tacked on runs in the bottom of the third and the fourth innings to go on for their 2-0 win. Rachael Heath sparked the offense going 3-for-3 from the plate with one run scored. Heath scored in the bottom of the third after she singled and then stole second. Heath would advance to third on a throwing error by the catcher and come around to score on an error by the centerfielder.
Brittany Creamer started off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and she got moved to third on a Samantha Ohmie double to right field. Sommer Pollard singled to center field scoring Ohmie from third.
Saint Leo would connect on the ball for seven hits versus Lynn's three, as the Lions were errorless compared to the Fighting Knights two errors.
GAME TWO – No. 11 Saint Leo 9, Lynn 1 (5 innings)
The Lions picked up another win after defeating Lynn in five innings with a final score of 9-1. Saint Leo pitcher Samantha Tyler won her fifth game of the year after the five inning complete game, giving up just one hit and one run in the game. Tyler struck out three Knights batters and walked just one.
Saint Leo jumped out in front in the bottom of the first after Lynn out a run across the board in the top of the inning. The Lions answered with three runs in the inning.
In the first, Tiffany Thompson singled to start the inning with a base runner for the Lions. She advanced to second on a wild pitch before coming around to score on a Rachael Heath single up the middle. A Ciera Schumaker triple to right field scored Heath before Schumaker would come in to score on a sacrifice fly by Stephanie Adkins.
The Lions closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth with six runs to go up 9-1. In the inning, Adkins loaded the bases after a single by Brooke Samios-Uy and an error in the field allowing Schumaker to reach as well. Brittany Creamer would then hit a bases loaded no outs single to right field scoring Samios-Uy and leaving the bases juiced once again.
An Ohmie walk would bring Schumaker in before a Thompson single bringing in Creamer. A wild pitch by the Lynn pitcher would advance all runners scoring Ohmie, while Saint Leo runners were on second and third with two outs. Heath laid down a bunt scoring Pollard, while Samios-Uy hit the game ending single through the right side scoring the final run of the game, Thompson.
Saint Leo scattered 11 hits to Lynn's one while both teams committed one error in the game.
UP NEXT
No. 11 Saint Leo will next host No. 15 Caldwell for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 15th at University Softball Stadium where game time is slated for 11 am and 1 pm.
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.
