CLEARWATER, Fla. – After opening up Friday at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Leadoff Classic with a 7-1 decision over Azusa Pacific, No. 5 Saint Leo fell at the hands of West Florida 3-2 to end the day at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex with a 1-1 record.
 
Saint Leo (4-4) saw Kendyl Crean lead the team offensively with a 2-for-3 day from the plate with one homerun against Azusa Pacific. Crean tallied a team-high three RBI with a team high batting average (.667), slugging percentage (1.667) and on-base percentage (.857) after drawing two walks and two hit-by-pitch.
 
From the mound, Rachel Bean and Sadi Avants both finished with a 0.00 ERA while Auria Mounts ended the day with a 1.00. Mounts led the staff in innings pitched (7) while she tallied the most strikeouts (4). Bean held her opponents to a lower batting average (.143) to Mounts' .192 and Avants' .250.
 
Game 1 – #5 Saint Leo 7, Azusa Pacific 1
Saint Leo got on the board quick in the first game taking a 1-0 lead after the first inning. The Lions added to their lead with one run in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth. Azusa Pacific got its lone run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Rachel Bean got the win for the Lions after tossing four innings of work allowing just two hits and one unearned run. Sadi Avants came in and worked the final three innings allowing just three hits and no runs. Combined, Bean and Avants recorded three strikeouts.
 
From the plate, Ashley Morris and Shyanne DuBois recorded two hits where Morris was 2-for-2 and DuBois 2-for-4. Kacie Kelly, Kendyl Crean, Alexis Miniet, Deanna Falciglia, and Bailey Burk all registered a hit for the Green and Gold.
 
Game 2 – West Florida 3, #5 Saint Leo 2
The Argonauts used a one run first inning to take a quick lead after an error allowed a runner to come in to score. West Florida would tack on another in the third before the Lions struck in the bottom half to cut it to 2-1. In the bottom of the fifth Saint Leo tied things up at 2-2. West Florida would use a bloop-single to right field to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run.
 
Auria Mounts got the nod for the Lions in the night-cap, where she went the distance allowing five hits in seven innings with three runs, one earned, and four strikeouts.
 
Of the Lions' three hits, Shyanne DuBois, Kendyl Crean and Sarah Pauscher were all credited with a hit, with Crean going 1-for-1 with two hit-by-pitches in her first two plate-appearances. Ashley Morris and DuBois each scored one of the Lions' runs on the night with Morris scoring the tying run in the fifth inning. 
 
Up Next
No. 5 Saint Leo returns to Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex to take on Molloy and Harding Saturday, Feb. 9 at 2:30 and 4:30 pm, respectively.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo softball team be sure to 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.