SAINT LEO, Fla. – No. 4 Saint Leo dropped both games Saturday, April 16th to Palm Beach Atlantic at home on senior day by finals of 6-2 and 9-2 at University Softball Stadium.
The Lions fall to 37-4 on the season as the Sailfish move to 31-12. Saint Leo dropped game one 6-2 in the 12pm game before honoring their seniors in between games. The Lions came out and fell in the second game 9-2 in the final regular season home game. The Lions finish the home portion of the regular season with a 20-3 record at University Softball Stadium.
Stephanie Adkins and Samantha Tyler were the two pitchers for the Lions that received the setback. Adkins threw 5.1-innings and gave up 12 hits, five runs and two walks and four strikeouts. Alana Tabel came in for the remaining 1.2-innings and gave up four hits one run and recorded one strikeouts. Adkins suffered the loss in the first game to move to 17-2 on the year. Tyler pitched all seven innings in game two and gave up 10 hits, nine runs (six earned), and three walks while she had four strikeouts.
Playing in her final regular season home game at University Softball Stadium, Tiffany Thompson led the way offensively as she went 3-for-5 from the plate on the day for a .600 batting average. Rachael Heath and Stephanie Adkins both went .500 (3-for-6) from the dish on the day. Heath and Adkins both scored a run as Heath knocked in two runs as Adkins recorded one RBI.
GAME ONE – PBA 6, #4 Saint Leo 2
The Sailfish opened up the game with a 6-2 win. PBA scored first in the second inning before Saint Leo tied it after three complete innings. The Lions took the lead 2-1 after five complete innings. Palm Beach Atlantic fought back in the top of the sixth to score four runs and added another in the seventh inning.
Rachael Heath and Stephanie Adkins went 2-for-3 from the plate as Danielle Bottley and Adkins were the two lone runs for the Lions.
Adkins started the third inning off with a double before Sommer Pollard gave herself up to advance Adkins to third. A wild pitch allowed Adkins to slide across the plate to tie the game at ones.
Bailey McKenna kicked off the fifth inning with a single to left center before Danielle Bottley pinch ran for her. Bottley swiped second from the Sailfish; Adkins laid down a bunt and reached safely to give the Lions two on the corners with no outs. Heath stepped to the plate and delivered what would be the then go-ahead run, Bottley from third.
A four-run sixth inning by the Sailfish put the game out of reach as PBA recorded 16 hits in the game compared to Saint Leo's six.
GAME TWO – PBA 9, #4 Saint Leo 2
PBA once again started the second game on-top of the Lions as they scored one run in the first inning. The Sailfish would go out to a 6-0 lead before Saint Leo got two runs on the board, the fifth inning.
Sommer Pollard would open the fifth with a single to center field after stepping to the plate with a 0-2 count. The umpire ruled two strikes for a questionable delay for Pollard getting to the batter's box. Thompson would step in and lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance Pollard to second. Pollard stole third before coming to home on a Heath single. Heath moved to second for another stolen base on the day. Adkins would eventually step in and hit a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Heath to come across for the second and final run for Saint Leo.
PBA would tack on three more runs to end the game with a 9-2 victory; one in the sixth and two in the seventh.
UP NEXT
Saint Leo hits the road to wrap up the regular season at Rollins for a three-game series, April 22nd and April 23rd. The series opener on Friday is set for 7 pm where the twin-bill Saturday is set for 1 & 3 pm.
