SAINT LEO, Fla. – A career-high twelve strikeouts from Stephanie Adkins led No. 4-ranked Saint Leo over Florida Tech in game one of the three-game Sunshine State Conference mid-week series on Tuesday, April 12th at University Softball Stadium.
The Lions move to 35-1 overall and 18-1 in Sunshine State Conference (SSC) play where the Panthers fall to 36-13 and 14-5 SSC. Saint Leo extends their win streak to 21 games and are now 20-0 at home on the season.
Stephanie Adkins threw her 12th complete game in her victory in the circle as she improves to 17-1 on the year for the Lions. Adkins pitched the seven complete innings and gave up five hits, one run and two walks while she recorded 12 strikeouts.
Rachael Heath was perfect from the dish going 3-for-3 with one run and two runs batted in (RBI). Brooke Samios-Uy went 2-for-4 with one run and two RBI with a third inning homerun.
The Lions got one in the first inning as Rachael Heath singled through the right side and came around to score on two errors. Heath stole second and reached third on a throwing error by the catcher before a fielding error by the second baseman allowed Ciera Schumaker to reach safely and Heath to score.
Saint Leo tacked on two in bottom of the third on Brooke Samios-Uy's homerun, which shot over the right center fence. Samios-Uy drove herself and Tiffany Thompson in to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. It marked her second career homerun and the second one off of a Florida Tech pitcher. Her first career homer was on February 7th, against the Panthers in the opening weekend at the Eckerd Tournament as the Lions defeated the Panthers 15-0.
A two-run single off the bat of Heath would bring in the Lions fourth and fifth runs in the bottom of the sixth as she hit a ball to left field scoring Bailey McKenna and Sommer Pollard. The duo reached base and were safely moved over on a sacrifice bunt from Tiffany Thompson before scoring on the Heath single.
Adkins came into the seventh and gave up two doubles but was able to hold off the Panthers, as they got one run back in the top of the seventh. Adkins recorded three strikeouts in the final inning to end the game.
UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Florida Tech will square off in a doubleheader Wednesday, April 13th in the final two games of the series. The first game is slated for 3:00 p.m. at University Softball Stadium between the Panthers and No. 4 Lions.
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.
