MELBOURNE, Fla. – The fifth-ranked Saint Leo softball team defeated the Florida Tech Panthers for the third straight game at the Nancy Bottge Field, to win their fifth Sunshine State Conference series. 

No. 5 Saint Leo extended their win streak to 11 games after defeating Florida Tech 11-0 in five innings at the Nancy Bottge Field. The win and the series sweep marks the fifth straight Sunshine State Conference series win for the Lions.

Saint Leo (34-7, 15-3 SSC) scored four runs in the third inning, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to end the game against Florida Tech (21-21, 6-9 SSC) in five innings. Stephanie Adkins (19-3) surpassed her win total from a year ago (18) after pitching her 14th complete game of the season. Adkins allowed five hits and no runs for her fifth shutout of the year while recording six strikeouts. The six 'K's' moves Adkins to 133 on the year and 297 in two years at Saint Leo.

From the plate, Ciera Schumaker provided the spark as she went 2-for-3 with five Runs Batted In (RBI). Schumaker scored one run and hit one extra base hit, a three-RBI double in the third inning. Brittany Creamer and Alyssa Wash tied Schumaker for the lead on the team going 2-for-3 as well, where Wash scored two runs and Creamer one.

Michelle George was second on the team in RBI with two, as Kacie Kelly, Sarah Pauscher, Samantha Ohmie, and Wash all tallied one RBI. George, Kelly, Danielle Bottley, and Sommer Pollard all scored runs on the afternoon with George scoring the most at three.

A Ciera Schumaker double to center field scored Michelle George, Alyssa Wash and Kacie Kelly to put the Lions on top of the Panthers in the third inning. George started the inning off with a single up the middle followed by a Wash bunt single. Kelly was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs for Schumaker.

The Lions added two in the fourth again on a Schumaker single, scoring Sommer Pollard and George. Saint Leo saw Danielle Bottley and Brittany Creamer come around in the fifth inning as George reached on a throwing error. Wash's double down the left field line scored George before Kelly doubled to left center scoring Wash. Making a pinch-hit appearance, Sarah Pauscher doubled to left center to drive in Kelly from second for the 11th and final run of the game.

Adkins came into the bottom half of the fifth inning and gave up three hits with no outs, but stranded the runners on base to end the game on a strikeout.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo has a week off before they host Tampa for a three-game series on April 12-13. The Lions and Spartans will face off at 6 p.m. Wednesday before a 5/7 doubleheader on Thursday.

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.