Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo baseball totaled 31 runs over both ends of a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader against visiting Barry University and came away with a 12-11 and 19-13 sweep over the Bucs, Saturday afternoon at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.
Saint Leo's game one victory provided the day's drama, with Troy Sieber lifting the Lions to a walk-off victory in the 10th inning. Chase Turner reached on a full count walk, and Sieber crushed the first pitch into left field tailing toward the line for a triple, allowing Turner to cross with the game-winning run.
The extra frame was required after Barry erased a 10-2 Saint Leo lead in the top of the ninth inning, plating nine runs on six hits and six walks while taking an 11-10 lead. Alexander DeGoti powered the rally with a three-run home run to left field; a potential fourth-run on what-would-have-been a grand slam was nullified after two Barry base runners passed each other while rounding the bases.
The Lions knotted game at 11-all in the bottom of the ninth on pinch hitter Shane Williams' RBI single up the middle, taking advantage of Zach Daley's one-out double down the left field line on the previous at bat.
Earlier in the game, Saint Leo grabbed a 6-2 advantage over Barry with a six-run third inning, keyed by Zack Sabo's towering grand slam to right field. The Lions added two more runs in the fifth, and tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth to enter the ninth just three outs from the win.
Saint Leo starter Dylan Collett was on the verge of collecting that "W" when he was lifted with one out in the ninth. Collett fanned eight Buccaneer batters over his eight-and-a-third on the mound, allowing six earned runs on seven hits. Michael Dunnigan picked up the win in relief after working the last one-and-a-third for the Lions, and improved his record to 2-2.
Sabo paced the Lions with his five runs batted in, while Mike Mann went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBI. Lane Stancil and Mata also had two hits; one of Mata's hits was his 18th double of the season, giving him 43 for his career and giving him sole possession of fifth place among Saint Leo career doubles leaders.
In game two, Barry squandered a 13-11 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, and permitted Saint Leo to put up eight runs on four hits, four walks, and a wild pitch in the bottom of the frame.
After three straight walks issued to Troy Sieber, Alex Mata, and Williams to open the inning, Daley plated one run on an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 19 games in the process.
Mann drove in two more runs with a single to right center, vaulting Saint Leo into a 14-13 lead. Bryan Nunez doubled home Daley with a double down the line into left field, extending the Lions' advantage to 15-13. Two batters later, Stancil scored three runs on a double to right field. Sieber accounted for the final run on his second at bat of the inning, with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Stancil.
Trailing 10-3 after four innings, Saint Leo's comeback trail began with Alex Mata's three-run blast to right field in the fifth inning to cut the Barry lead to 11-6. The Lions added five more runs in the sixth to further reduce the margin to 13-11, including two runs on a Stancil double into right field.
Stancil, Mata, and Nunez logged two hits each in Saturday's second game, while Stancil finished with five RBI and four runs scored. Mata plated four RBI while Daley and Mann finished with two RBI each.
Zach Whitaker picked up the relief win after pitching the final four-and-two-thirds innings for the Lions. Whitaker struck out three while allowing just two earned runs on five hits.
Saint Leo's next Sunshine State Conference weekend series will take the Lions to Melbourne, Fla., to face Florida Tech. The series opens on Friday, April 22, with a single game at 6:00 p.m., followed by a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 23.
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.
