SAINT LEO, Fla. – A three-run uprising for Barry University in the sixth inning propelled the visiting Buccaneers to a 12-8 win over Saint Leo University, in Friday's first game of a three-game Sunshine State Conference baseball series at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.

Saint Leo dropped to 22-16 overall, 5-8 in the SSC, while Barry improved to 20-18, 4-9. The Lions and the Bucs will complete the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 16, at 1:00 p.m. at Southard Stadium.

Three times over the first four innings, Saint Leo was either tied or had the lead over Barry, only to see the Bucs rally each time to regain their advantage over the Lions.

Barry finally broke an 8-8 tie and grabbed the lead for good with three runs in the sixth inning on three hits and two Saint Leo errors.

Alexander DeGoti got aboard with a one-out single, and scored on Ramon Valdez's double and a Saint Leo error in center field. Valdez crossed on a failed pickoff throw to third by catcher Mike Mann, giving the Bucs a 10-8 lead. Ryan Baldwin then extended the margin to 11-8 with a wind-driven blast to center field.

The Bucs tacked on an insurance run in the ninth, when Alffredi Ramos sacrificed home Jonathan Quintana for the final 12-8 score.

The lead see-sawed over the early innings thanks to a steady 10 m.p.h. wind driving the ball across the diamond and straight to right field.

After a two-run first inning for the Bucs, the Lions answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame. After singles by Chase Turner and Alex Mata, Shane Williams followed up with a double down the left field line that plated both base runners. Senior Zach Daley capped the inning with a two-run shot to right field, giving Saint Leo a 4-2 lead.

Barry went back on top, 5-4, in the second inning, thanks to a pair of home runs – a solo blast by Quintana to left field to lead off the frame, and a two-run, two-out wind-driven shot to right by DeGoti.

Lane Stancil's RBI single in the bottom of the second allowed Zach Gary to score and tie things up at 5-5; that tied game was short-lived as the Bucs' Julian Abreu doubled home Baldwin in the top of the third, allowing Barry to regain a 6-5 advantage.

A three-run uprising by Saint Leo in the third resulted in an 8-6 Lions lead on a three-run belt by Zack Sabo to right field. Once again, Barry pulled even with Saint Leo with two runs in the top of the fourth with a leadoff single by Khalil Denson, followed by RBI doubles from Mike Diaz and Ryan Baldwin.

Stancil, Turner, Mata, and Daley each finished the night with two hits, with Williams and Daley each driving in two runs. The Lions were without the services of leading hitter Troy Sieber, who was serving the second game of his suspension after being ejected in last weekend's game two against Lynn University.

Andrew Cohen took the loss in his six inning relief appearance, allowing six runs, all earned, on 10 hits while recording six strikeouts.

Barry's Alex Lavandero earned the complete game victory; he yielded eight runs on 12 hits, and fanned 10 Saint Leo batters while throwing 147 pitches during the night.

DeGoti and Baldwin each had three hits and two RBI, while four other players collected two hits apiece.

For more on the Saint Leo baseball program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Also, be sure to 'Like' the Lions on Facebook and 'Follow' Saint Leo Athletics on Twitter and Instagram.