SAINT LEO, Fla. – In his final start at Thomas B. Southard Stadium, senior right-handed pitcher
Jordan Pendleton earned his 28th win of his career after pitching the complete game against Embry-Riddle, leading the No. 13 Saint Leo baseball team to a 6-4 win. His 28 wins, pushes Pendleton past Dave Garcia (1993-96) on the All-Time Career Wins standings in Green and Gold history.
Saint Leo (37-10, 20-8 SSC) trailed or tied for all but two innings, the two innings that mattered. The Lions tied it at 4-4 in the sixth before a two-run single in the eighth broke it open.
Jordan Pendleton, who moves to 8-1 on the year on the bump, came in to close out the game for his third complete game of the season, his second straight in as many of starts. Pendleton tied Dave Garcia with 27 (1993-96) wins a week ago with a 4-1 decision over Florida Southern before surpassing the Sunshine State Conference (2016) and Saint Leo (2002) Hall of Famer with his 28th win Friday night.
The Palm Harbor, Florida native and 2018 Saint Leo graduate, threw the complete nine inning game allowing three earned runs on nine hits while fanning nine batters.
Jared Morello was dialed in going 3-for-4 from the plate with one run scored and one RBI.
Amir Wright,
Peyton Isaacson,
Chase Turner and
Derek Gibree all tallied one hit on the night where Isaacson led the team in RBI with three.
Embry-Riddle scored a run in each of the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead on the Lions. Saint Leo got on the board with a run in the third inning cutting it to 3-1 before a two-run double from
Chase Turner tied it at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth.
The Eagles retook the lead with a solo shot in the top of the sixth, 4-3 before
Jordan Pendleton retired the side with a strikeout and a groundout to
Derek Gibree.
The Green and Gold tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a bases loaded beautiful bunt by
Jared Morello. The ball came off the bat and rolled down the grass towards third, where the Eagles player watched it come to a stop four-inches off the foul line 10-feet from third base. The Lions stranded three on base, but tied the game 4-4.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eight,
Peyton Isaacson drove the 3-1 pitch to center field scoring
Lane Stancil and
Derek Gibree as the Lions took a 6-4 lead.
Jordan Pendleton walked out to the mound for his ninth inning of work and closed out the game with a pop up to
Zach Scott to pick up his eighth win of the year, and 28th of his career.
Up Next …
Saint Leo will honor its seniors prior to the doubleheader with the Eagles Saturday, May 12 where the ceremony starts at 12:30pm.
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.
