SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo softball swept the twinbill Saturday and took the Sunshine State Conference series 3-0 after a 10-2 final in five innings in game one and a 4-3 final in eight innings in game two Saturday over the visiting Eckerd Tritons.
Records
Saint Leo – 22-13, 11-7 SSC
Eckerd - 11-22, 3-12 SSC
Rachel Bean,
Sara Neuman and
Sadi Avants all made an appearance in the circle for the Green and Gold where Avants and Bean were credited with wins. Bean tossed the 5.0 inning complete game for game one while she allowed two runs on five hits. Neuman started game two and went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits before Avants came in for the final 3.1 innings allowing just one run on four hits. Bean paced the staff with seven strikeouts, as Avants tallied three and Neuman two. The seven strikeouts for Bean is a new career-high for K's in a game.
Eight players registered at least one hit on the day while those same eight scored at least one run.
Kayleice Hooks,
Sarah Pauscher, and
Ashley Morris led the team with four hits on the afternoon while
Kendyl Crean tallied three. Crean used one long ball, a solo home run in game two, and a double to help guide the Lions with six RBI on the day.
Hooks went 4-for-5 from the plate for a .800 average while Crean went 3-for-4 for .750.
Bailey Burk made all of her two at-bats going 2-for-2 with a run scored.
Game 1 – Saint Leo 10, Eckerd 2 (5 innings)
Saint Leo jumped all over Eckerd with two runs in the first, six in the second and two in the third to take an early 10-0 lead. The Tritons rallied for two late, but failed to get within eight runs in the five innings as the Green and Gold took game one 10-2 in a shortened five inning game.
Ashley Morris went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and one RBI in the first game as
Kendyl Crean went 1-for-1 with five RBI. Three other players joined Morris and Crean going perfect at the plate in game one as
Kacie Kelly and
Bailey Burk both went 1-for-1 and
Kayleice Hooks 2-for-2. Saint Leo went to the bench early in the game to allow other Lions to get time.
Rachel Bean picked up her fourth win of the year after the complete game tallying seven strikeouts.
Game 2 – Saint Leo 4, Eckerd 3 (8 innings)
Eckerd got on the board first in game two of the day with a two-run homer in the top of the third. Saint Leo answered with two in the bottom of the fourth and again in the sixth for a 3-2 lead before a run in the seventh by the Tritons made it 3-3. Saint Leo failed to walk-off in the seventh, but a quick top half of the eighth by
Sadi Avants and the Lions' defense set up for another chance to walk-off.
Sarah Pauscher would step up with two outs and
Ashley Morris on second and drove the 1-0 pitch to center field scoring Morris for the game-winning RBI.
Saint Leo scattered 10 hits in the game where six different players tallied a hit.
Sarah Pauscher was dialed in going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
Kendyl Crean and
Kayleice Hooks went 2-for-3 from the dish as Crean scored two runs.
Sara Neuman lasted 4.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts before turning things over to
Sadi Avants. Avants pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing just one run on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Up Next
Saint Leo will travel to Lynn for a three-game series against the Fighting Knights March 29-30. The first pitch in Boca Raton, Fla. is slated for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.
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.
