SAINT LEO, Fla. – Leading 3-2 heading into the final inning Tuesday night the Saint Leo baseball team needed just three outs to earn its second win of the season but the visiting Blazers of Valdosta State had other plans as they scored two runs in the ninth and held the Lions scoreless in the bottom half to secure the come-from-behind victory.
 
The loss drops the Lions' record to 1-8 on the year while the Blazers improved to 5-3.
 
The Lions led early Tuesday night after senior Jake Vander Wal drove in a run in the very first inning on an RBI groundout and was quickly followed by fellow senior Brett Esau who sent a ball just over the left field fence for his first Saint Leo home run.
 
Saint Leo held a 2-0 lead until the fourth inning when a solo home run for redshirt junior James McCallum marked his first career hit in a Lion uniform putting Saint Leo up 3-0. The Blazers began their comeback with a solo run in the sixth followed by another solo score in the eighth setting up the dramatic ninth inning.
 
In the ninth, the Blazers opened the inning with a strikeout but the next batter reached on a 3-2 walk. After a pinch runner entered the game, he stole second on the very next pitch. The next batter hit a slow grounder towards the gap between second and first. The Lion second baseman collected the ball and looked to make the throw to first but him momentum carried the ball past the first baseman and into the Blazer dugout, tying the game at 3-3 after the runner on second came around for the score due to the error. The next batter laced an 0-1 pitch through the left side to put runners on first and third. After a pitching change, the Blazers first batter reached on a walk to load the bases with just one out on the board. A strikeout put two outs on the board but the next Blazer batter was able to get a ball through the left side once again but a strike from Lion left fielder Sam Crail cut the second runner down at the plate giving VSU a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
 
The Lions were unable to gain any momentum in the bottom half as the Blazers pitcher, former Tampa Spartan Alec Aleywine, sat the Lions down in order with two strikeouts swinging and one looking.
 
Esau was the lone Lions with more than one hit on the day as he went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, an RBI and a run scored. Vander Wal and McCallum provided the only other RBI for the Lions.
 
Redshirt junior Jeremy Peel pitched a strong 7.1 innings for the Lions as he struck out three and did not surrender a walk. He scattered eight hits while allowing a pair of runs. Freshman Nick Jennings suffered his second loss of the season after pitching 1.0 inning and allowing just one hit. He had two strikeouts and a walk but allowed two runs including one earned. The final Lion pitcher was freshman Yazael Nunez who went two thirds of an inning with a strikeout, a walk and one hit allowed.
 
The Lions will next be in action at home as they host Embry-Riddle in a three-game Sunshine State Conference series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo baseball 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.