MELBOURNE, Fla. – No. 25 Saint Leo softball dropped a pair of one-run games Saturday at the Florida Tech Invitational at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Melbourne.
 
Saint Leo dropped its first two games of the year after a 2-1 decision to Angelo State and a 4-3 eight inning loss to No. 4 West Florida. The setback against the Argonauts evens the season series at one game apiece.
 
The Lions only saw four hits of the day where Sarah Pauscher and Kacie Kelly each picked up a pair. The Green and Gold tossed four hurlers out against the Rambelles and the Argos with Madi Mott pacing the team with eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work while Sadi Avants tacked on six strikeouts to her season tally. Kayla Betts, who led the team in innings pitched at 4.2, fanned two batters.
 
Results | Records
Angelo State 2, #25 Saint Leo 1 | SLU 6-1, ASU 5-3
#4 West Florida 4, #25 Saint Leo 3 (8 innings) | SLU 6-2, UWF 5-2
 
Saint Leo would score its lone run in the third inning on a wild pitch against Angelo State before the Rambelles rallied to score two in the bottom of the sixth.
 
After two scoreless innings of play, the Argos scored in the top of the third and again in the fourth before the Lions earned one back in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch that saw Amanda James come across home plate.
 
Charging ahead 3-1 UWF tacked on an insurance run in the seventh but the Lions nullified the policy and tied things in the bottom half 3-3. With two outs, Kacie Kelly reached on a fielding error by the third baseman and advanced to second while Rachel Bean scored from second on the errant throw that sailed into right field. Sarah Pauscher stepped to the plate and drove a ball to center field scoring Kelly from second.
 
In the eighth, the Argos scored their go-ahead, and eventual winning run, on a wild pitch. In the bottom half of the inning, trailing 4-3, the Lions saw their tying run move to third before a play at the plate left it with two outs and a runner on first. UWF was able to record the final out and even the season series.  
 
Up Next
No. 25 Saint Leo will close out play at the USSSA Space Coast Complex and the Florida Tech Invitational Sunday at 10 a.m. against No. 18 Alabama-Huntsville.
 
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.