SAINT LEO, Fla. – No. 17 Saint Leo softball picked up two wins on Leap Day to win the Sunshine State Conference series 2-1 over the visiting Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish at University Softball Stadium.
 
The Lions remain undefeated on Leap Day under the direction of head coach Erin Kinberger and in the past 27 years¹. Maddy Lynn and Emily Pilon led the way in the two games at the plate going 3-for-6. Alexis Miniet picked up two hits while Sadi Avants, Kacie Kelly, Sarah Pauscher and Makensey Pankers all tallied one.
 
Pilon and Pauscher paced the team in runs scored with two as Avants, Kelly, and Brigette Soza crossed the plate once on the afternoon. With her two-run homer in game one and her single in the second game, Pilon led all players in RBI with three.
 
Sadi Avants and Kayla Betts were the lone two pitchers used Saturday as Avants picked up the win in game one after 5.0 innings of work and Betts the save with two innings of work. Avants finished with five strikeouts and Betts seven on the day after the seven-inning complete game for game two, in which she earned the win.

Results | Records
#17 Saint Leo 2, Palm Beach Atlantic 1 | SLU 12-6, 2-3 SSC; PBA 12-8, 5-3 SSC
#17 Saint Leo 5, Palm Beach Atlantic 2 | SLU 13-6, 3-3 SSC; PBA 12-9, 5-4 SSC
 
In the first game of the extra day in February, the Lions used a two-run home run from Emily Pilon in the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. The Sailfish would add a run in the sixth to make it a 2-1 game but Kayla Betts came in and closed the door for her fourth save of the season.
 
Momentum carried into game two where Saint Leo rallied from trailing 1-0 after the first half-inning and plated three in the bottom half for a quick 3-1 lead. Pilon's bat would continue to be the magic stick for the Lions with her single in the first tied the game. Sadi Avants dug in and drove a ball up the middle scoring Pilon and Sarah Pauscher.
 
The Lions' two runs in the third came off Maddy Lynn's single to right field, scoring Brigette Soza, and Makensey Pankers' RBI groundout to the pitcher, scoring Avants.
 
PBA tacked on another run in the seventh inning on a single to center field before Betts got the final out to pop up to strikeout swinging.

Up Next
Saint Leo will host two doubleheaders early in the week against Tiffin on March 3 and Wilmington (DE) on March 4. Both doubleheaders have scheduled game times of 5 and 7 p.m.
 
For more information on the Saint Leo softball program, 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.

¹ – as far as records go, the Lions are undefeated on Feb. 29 having played just two games (2020)