TAMPA, Fla. – Trailing 4-2 heading into the ninth inning the No. 23 Saint Leo baseball team tied the game with No. 8 North Greenville and then won the season opener in the 11^th with a breakout three-run stanza, 7-4 at the home of the New York Yankees Spring Training in Tampa, Fla.
 
Senior Peyton Isaacson provided the ninth inning heroics as he blasted a one out two-run homerun over the right field fence to tie the game for the Lions. Junior transfer Trevor Smisek, who came into the game in the eighth, held the Crusaders scoreless in the ninth and 10th before the Lions exploded for three runs in the 11^th opening the door for closer Trevor Sanchez to pick up his first save of the season. Smisek opens his Lion career with a three inning victory while allowing just two hits, one run and striking out one. Sanchez pitched the final inning while striking out two and not allowing a runner.
 
The 11^th began with a walk drawn by senior Jared Morello which was followed by a single from Isaacson. The very next play opened the door for the Lions as junior Jacob Reimold laid down a sacrifice bunt that the NGU pitcher picked up and threw away when trying to go to second base. The play loaded the bases with no outs for the Lions which brought senior Aaron Portee to the plate for his lone at bat of the game after coming on as a pinch runner in the ninth. Portee sent a dribbler to first base which the first baseman picked up and at first decided to go home but changed his mind at the last minute and missed the tag on Portee as he ran through first base. The play allowed Morello to score the go ahead run for the Lions.
 
The next two Lions to the plate hit sacrifice flies including sophomore Matt Morgan and redshirt freshman Logan Flood to extend the Lion lead to 7-4.
 
Junior Joey Antonopoulos picked up the start on the mound and pitched 4.2 innings while holding the Crusaders to just one run over the first four innings before allowing two runs in the fifth. The hurler struck out five while not allowing a walk and worked out of a few jams early in the game. Junior Kaleb Huxford was the Lions middle reliever and pitched 2.1 innings with no hits allowed and four strikeouts. As a staff the Lions did not allow a single walk the entire 11 innings.
 
Isaacson and senior Brett Coffel each finished with three hits in the game as Isaacson went 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Coffel was 3-for-5 with an RBI.
 
Saint Leo will open the home portion of its season tomorrow afternoon with a twin bill against the University of Alabama in Huntsville at Thomas B. Southard Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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