General Feb 14, 2019

Lions Ledger: Seven teams competing this weekend

Basketball host Embry-Riddle

No. 5 Saint Leo opens up SSC play after posting a 2-3 weekend at the NFCA D2 Leadoff Classic last weekend. The Lions defeated Azusa Pacific 71 and Molloy 8-0 and dropped games to West Florida 3-2, Harding 8-5 and No. 2 Southern Arkansas 13-1.
On the year, Shyanne DuBois leads the team with a .447 batting average recording 17 hits with eight doubles and nine runs scored. DuBois had 11 RBI on the season and is already 10-for-10 in stolen bases. From the circle, Auria Mounts leads the pitching staff with a 2.10 ERA in 33.1 innings of with 25 strikeouts.
No. 18 Palm Beach Atlantic enters after going 3-2 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with wins over No. 2 Southern Ark. 6-3, Wayne State (Mich.) 4-2 and West Georgia 7-1. The Sailfish dropped contests to No. 22 Valdosta State 11-0 and West Florida 11-5.
On the year, Katherine Budnovich leads the team with a .615 batting average with eight hits and one homerun. From the circle, Abbey Busby owns a team-low 3.39 ERA in 31 innings of work with 17 strikeouts.
The Matchup: A top-20 matchup in West Palm Beach where the two teams look to find their way. The Lions' pitching staff holds a 3.45 ERA to the Sailfish 4.94 where PBA holds the advantage in the batters box in average .294 to .288.

Feb. 16 vs Lynn | 11:00 AM
Where: Saint Leo Tennis Center | Saint Leo, Fla.
Records: SLU 2-1 | LU 2-0

Men's Tennis Notes

No.7 Saint Leo starts the season off 2-1 after defeated Gustavus Adolphus (6-1) and North Georgia (4-3) while taking a loss from No.1 Columbus State (7-0).
Lynn visits Saint Leo with a perfect 2-0 recording wins against St. Thomas (7-0) and No.2 Keiser (6-1).
Last meeting Lynn, the Lions defeated the Fighting Knights in the regular season 7-2. Lynn returned to the Saint Leo Tennis Center with a vengeance registering a 5-4 win during the NCAA South Regionals II.

Feb. 16 vs Lynn | 11:00 AM
Where: Saint Leo Tennis Center | Saint Leo, Fla.
Records: SLU 3-0 | LU 2-0

Women's Tennis Notes

No.7 Saint Leo remains undefeated to start off the season.
The Lions defeated two nationally ranked opponents in No. 3 Columbus State and No. 12 North Georgia.
Freshman Nina Furmaniak earned Sunshine State Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week on Monday after a tremendous start to her collegiate career. Furmaniak went 3-0 in flight no. 3 singles while picking up a 2-1 flight no.1 record with Kristyna Jurkova.
Lynn travels to Saint Leo also with a perfect record. The Fighting Knights have registered wins against St. Thomas (7-0) and upsetting No.2 Keiser (6-1).

Feb. 16 at #3 Columbus State | 1:00 & 4:00 PM
Feb. 17 at #3 Columbus State | 1:00 PM
Where: Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field | Columbus, Ga.
Records: SLU 6-1 | CSU 2-4
Coverage Links: Live Stats

Baseball Notes

No. 23 Saint Leo baseball travels to No. 3 Columbus State for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday.
The match-up will be the first true road game for the Lions this season after opening the year 6-1 including 5-1 at home and 1-0 in neutral site contests.
The Lions defeated No. 8 North Greenville to open the season and the Cougars will mark the second top-10 opponent on the Saint Leo schedule.
Senior Jared Morello is pacing the Lions offensively with a .560 batting average that includes two doubles, a triple, a homerun and nine RBI. Senior Peyton Isaacson and junior Jacob Reimold share the team lead with Morello in RBI with nine each while Isaacson leads the team with a pair of homeruns.
On the pitching side, the Lions have seen five different pitchers start games this season with four of those sitting on 1-0 records. Redshirt junior Ryan Nolan has seen the most extensive action with 11.1 innings pitched over a pair of starts. He had 11 strikeouts and a 3.97 ERA.
Junior Trevor Sanchez already possesses three saves just seven games into the season. If he stays at this pace the rest of the season he will finish with a program record 21 saves.
No. 3 Columbus State is off to a slow 2-4 start after dropping series against future Saint Leo opponents West Alabama and Embry-Riddle.
Columbus State brought back six of their nine positional regulars from the 2018 team that reached the national championship game, as well as pitcher Kolton Ingram who earned preseason All-American honors.
Senior Kendall Ford leads the team offensively with a .391 average after six games of action with a double and two RBI.
On the mound, three pitchers have started all six games led by Jalen Latta who has a 1-1 record and a 2.25 ERA. Preseason All-American Kolton Ingram is 1-0 with 10.0 innings pitched, 15 strikeouts, six walks and a 4.50 ERA.

Feb. 16 vs Embry-Riddle | 5:30 PM
Where: Marion Bowman Activities Center | Saint Leo, Fla.
Records: SLU 10-14, 5-11 SSC | ERAU 15-8, 10-6 SSC
Coverage Links: Live Stats | Video

Women's Basketball Notes

The Saint Leo women's basketball team returned to the win column Wednesday night at Florida Tech. The Lions topped the Panthers 58-52 shooting 48-percent from the floor over the 30-percent shot by the Panthers.
Saint Leo showcased three double-digit scorers in the form of Gina Brierley (13), Madelin Lang (12), and Asia Royster (11). Casey Wortley helped the offense with eight points while earning a game-high 10 rebounds.
On the season, Wortley leads the team in points (11.0 PPG) and rebounds (6.1 PPG).
The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team held off a persistent Lynn team on the road Wednesday night, 74-71, extending the Eagles' win streak to three.
Lauren Ellenberger (20), Nicole Tucker (19), and Morgan Ackermann (13) each tallied double-digit points in the tight win. Tucker finished the night just shy of a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds.
On the season, Tucker averages a team-high 15.3 PPG followed by Ellenberger and Sarah Jones each with a 12.2 PPG average. Ellenberger snatches 6.8 RPG to lead the Eagles off the window.
Last meeting on Wed., Jan. 5, the Saint Leo offense was tamed by Embry-Riddle in a 72-36 decision. Saint Leo traveled to Florida's east coast with a season field goal average of 37.9-percent while knocking down 7.5 three-pointers per game. Instead of its electrifying offense around the arch, Saint Leo was held to a field goal average of 24.5-percent with one bucket from downtown.

Feb. 16 vs Embry-Riddle | 7:30 PM
Where: Marion Bowman Activities Center | Saint Leo, Fla.
Records: SLU 11-13 8-8 SSC | ERAU 11-16, 4-12 SSC
Coverage Links: Live Stats | Video

Men's Basketball Notes

Saint Leo enters the weekend after a 81-79 win at Florida Tech Wednesday night where Kyran McClure led the way with a team-high 23 points ahead of Isaiah Hill (18), Tyler Carter (11) and Yalen Reed (10). Gintaras Bartaskas was a point shy of double-figures with nine points in the win.
On the year, McClure remains the team leader in scoring at 17.9 where Junior Searcy (11.3) and Hill (11.0) join him in double-digits.
Embry-Riddle comes to Saint Leo on a three-game skid including an 81-79 setback to Lynn in overtime. Four players scored in double-figures led by Alston Jones with 18 points.
On the year, four players average double-digits led by Nashad Mackey with 15.7 points per game.
The Season Series: Saint Leo traveled to Daytona Beach on Jan. 5 and knocked off Embry-Riddle 88-82 inside the ICI Center. Kyran McClure and Junior Searcy eclipsed the 20-point threshold with 27 and 22 points, respectively for the Lions. Tylin Lockett-Fuller led the Eagles in scoring with 16 points.

Feb. 17 vs Limestone | 1:00 PM
Where: Daffin Park - Morris Field | Savannah, Ga.
Records: SLU 2-0 | LC 2-0
Coverage Links: Live Stats

Men's Lacrosse Notes

The No. 9 Saint Leo Lions registered a 27-8 win over the Notre Dame De Namur Argonauts, a new program record for goals in a game. The Green and Gold saw 21 different Lions earn a point while 18 different sticks scored at University Turf Stadium on Monday night.
Philip Buque was named the Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his work last week against Alabama-Huntsville. Buque earned a career-high five goals in a six-point performance in the Lions' 23-12 win.
Charlie Kurtenbach also received honors based on the season opener. Kurtenbach was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Team of the Week. Kurtenbach tallied seven-points, scoring a hat-trick and four assists while facing Alabama-Huntsville.
On the season, Charlie Kurtenbach has already racked up 11 points scoring six goals and five assists. Philip Buque joins Kurtenbach in double-digit points dishing out six goals, four assists.
Ethan Ticehurst has recorded four goals and two assists while earned a team-high five caused turnovers and picking up seven ground balls.
Julian Taylor has controlled the midfield with 10 ground balls while adding three goals.
FO Specialist, Jordan Williams, has won 27-of-45 FO while cashing in 11 ground balls.
In goal, Ian Areford has earned the first two starts of the season. Areford has put up 30 saves compiling a .625 save percentage.
The then, No. 14 Limestone rolled over No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne 19-9 on Saturday in Hickory, N.C. The Saints 11 goal second half upset the Bears. The nationally-ranked win lifted the Saint's ranking to No. 6 according to the USILA
Tyler Papa and Clark Walter paced the Saints each handing in four goals and an assist. Matt Bennet helped the offensive burst with a pair of goals and assists.
On the season, Larson Sundown meets the Lions with 11 points from nine goals and two assists. He is followed by Papa with seven goals and three assists.
Christopher Parrott has won 22-of-29 FO attempts for the Saints while also picking up 13 ground balls.
Three goalkeepers have protected Limestone's net. Danny Forren has earned both starts posting 18 stops earning a .621 save percentage.