GULF SHORES, Ala. – No. 23 Saint Leo softball closed out the Gulf Coast Invitational on a three-game win streak including two games Sunday, with a 9-1 route of Alabama-Huntsville in six innings and a 6-1 win over West Alabama. The Lions handed Ala.-Huntsville its first loss of the season, where the Green and Gold moves to 5-1.
 
Two pitchers were used in the 13 innings of work where Auria Mounts and Alison Mitts both picked up wins. Mounts pitched 7.2 innings of work, including 1.2 innings of relief against the West Alabama Tigers. Mounts tossed her second complete game against the Chargers to her second win of the year. She allowed three hits in her 7.2 innings Sunday with just one run and five strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .115 batting average.
 
Mitts started for the Lions against the Tigers where she picked up her second win of the year, after pitching 5.1 innings of work allowing six hits and just one run. Mitts fanned four batters while holding opponents to a .273 batting average.
 
From the plate, Ashley Morris led the way in batting average with a .667 (4-for-6) with one run scored and two RBI. Kacie Kelly was second in average, .625 (5-for-8) with two runs scored, two doubles and four RBI. Bethany Kursch finished the day with a .571 batting average (4-for-7) with two runs scored, including the Lions' lone long ball to tally five RBI.

GAME 1 – #23 Saint Leo 9, Ala.-Huntsville 1
In her second start, Auria Mounts pitched yet another complete game with five strikeouts, holding the Chargers to a .143 batting average. Mounts gave up just three hits over the six innings with one run to move to 2-1 on the year.
 
Kacie Kelly went 3-for-4 in the first game of the day with one run scored, a double and one RBI. Ashley Morris went 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Sommer Pollard went 1-for-2 at the dish, while scoring two runs. Bethany Kursch matched Kelly with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with three RBI.
 
The Lions scored five runs in the second inning to get a jump-start on the Chargers. Saint Leo scattered five hits in the inning that saw Sarah Pauscher, Bailey Burk, Brittany Creamer, Sommer Pollard, and Kacie Kelly.
 
Ala.-Huntsville scored one run in the top of the third where Kelly's double to left center scored Pollard to match the one run inning, keeping it Saint Leo 6-1.
 
After a quick 1-2-3 inning for Mounts in the circle, the Green and Gold added another run in the bottom of the fourth as DuBois walked to start the inning. DuBois stole second and scored on a Kursch single to right field.
 
Mounts tossed two more straight 1-2-3 innings before the Lions could score two runs in the bottom of the sixth ending the game. Morris started the inning off with a single and came in to score on a Kursch single. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bailey McKenna stepped up to the plate and watched four balls go by to draw the walk to end the game.
 
GAME 2 - #23 Saint Leo 6, West Alabama 1
Saint Leo closed out its trip to Gulf Shores with a 6-1 game after trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the sixth. Alison Mitts got the start and the win after pitching 5.1 innings, allowing six hits and just one run while fanning four batters. Auria Mounts came in for 1.2 innings of relief and closed the door on the Tigers.
 
Kacie Kelly led the charge from the plate, going 2-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI, all in the top of the seventh. Every Saint Leo batter recorded at least one hit in the ball game where Bethany Kursch tallied two RBI with her home run in the top o the sixth.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the sixth, Kursch drove in Shyanne DuBois with a two run bomb to right field to push the Lions ahead, 2-1.
 
Saint Leo blew the game wide open with four runs in the top of the seventh. Maddy Lynn singled up the middle before Brittany Creamer singled to center field putting two runners on. Sommer Pollard laid down a bunt and reach first loading the bases for the top of the order. Kacie Kelly came up with bases loaded and one out and laced one to center field for a three RBI double. Kelly would come in to score on an Ashley Morris groundout.
 
Mounts, who came in for Mitts in relief, would throw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the seventh to allow the Lions to leave Gulf Shores with their fifth win.

Up Next …
Saint Leo will host Young Harris in the home opener on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. before a doubleheader with the Mountain Lions on Feb. 10 at 1 p.m.

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.