TAMPA, Fla. – The Saint Leo baseball team saw the Columbus State University Cougars score eight runs over the final four innings as CSU took the 2020 opener 10-7 Friday afternoon. The contest was the first of three-straight for the Lions at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. Senior Amir Wright led the Lions as he went 5-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Saint Leo tallied 10 hits and scored seven runs in the loss while Columbus State picked up its 10 runs off of 15 hits and a pair of Saint Leo errors.
 
The Lions opened the scoring quickly as they tallied a pair of runs in the opening frame. CSU answered with a single run in the second before tying the game in the fourth with a solo home run. The Lions retook the lead in the fifth with a three-run home run off the bat of junior Sam Crail. The top of the sixth featured a pair of Saint Leo errors which led to five Cougar runs. The Lions scored a pair in the bottom half tie the contest once more but a run in the seventh and two in the eighth proved to be the difference.
 
Wright had a double and four singles to pick up his five hits. Sophomore Mike Wyman was the only other Lion with multiple base hits as he finished 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI. Crail led the way in terms of RBI. He finished with a team-best four including three on a home run. The other three RBI came from Wright, Wyman and senior Jacob Reimold.
 
Junior McCabe Sargent earned the start for the Lions on the mound and went 3.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts and three walks. He allowed four hits and a pair of runs. Graduate transfer Graeme Cherry pitched the next 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, four hits and five unearned runs allowed. Freshman Nick Jennings suffered the first loss of his career while striking out one and allowing three hits. The final pitcher was senior Trevor Sanchez who went the final 2.0 innings with a strikeout and four hits allowed.
 
Nick Watson-Garcia secured the win for the Cougars after coming on in relief. Brady Kais earned the save as well.
The Lions will return to action tomorrow at noon as they face Barton College at Steinbrenner Field.
 
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