SAINT LEO, Fla. – In a pitcher's duel between the No. 10 Saint Leo Lions and the Eckerd Tritons, the Lions consistency wore down the Tritons pitcher as Saint Leo went on for the 3-0 Sunshine State Conference win to open the three-game series Friday night at University Softball Stadium.

Saint Leo (19-6) saw Stephanie Adkins pick up her 10th win after going the distance allowing just two hits on the night while striking out 10 batters. Adkins pitched her ninth complete game of the year as she moves to 10-2 on the season with three shutouts under her belt.

The freshman from Jacksonville, Fla., Kacie Kelly led the Lions again from the plate going 2-for-3 with one RBI as Ciera Schumaker, Brittany Creamer and Michelle George followed her going 1-for-2 each on the night. Schumaker drove in a run and scored in the contest as George scored one run.

Rachael Heath finished the night 2-for-4 with one run scored in the fifth inning.

After a tight matchup in the circle with Stephanie Adkins and Nikole Van Gennep, the Lions got through first in the fourth inning as Schumaker hit a one-out double down the left field line. Creamer stepped up and hit a single up the middle which saw the centerfielder come up throwing home to hold Schumaker at third, but a sailed throw went over the catcher's head scoring Schumaker.

Saint Leo added two more in the fifth as George and Heath both came across the plate. George started the bottom of the inning off with a double to left field and moved to third on a Heath bunt. Sommer Pollard laid down a sacrifice bunt but no throw from Van Gennep saw all three runners stay safe putting the ducks on the pond for Kelly. Kelly hit a single to left field scoring George. Schumaker would groundout to the second baseman but allowed Heath to score for what would be the third and final run of the game.

Adkins worked a quick sixth inning with two ground outs and a strikeout. Adkins again came in the circle and worked a quick seventh to end the game after a strikeout, ground out and a liner which happened to land right in Kelly's glove for the final out.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Eckerd return to action Saturday at 12 p.m. for the first game of the SSC doubleheader, to wrap up the series.

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.