WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Saint Leo baseball team traveled to Winter Park to open a three-game series with the Rollins College Tars Wednesday evening with the Tars capturing a 4-2 victory after a four-run fifth inning. All four runs came from a pair of home runs which erased a 2-0 Lions lead. Both teams saw strong pitching performances as each squad only put up six hits in the nine-inning affair.
 
Austin Long went the complete game on the mound for the Tars while redshirt sophomore Jared Beck and sophomore Andy Booth split time for the Lions. Long scattered six hits while allowing a pair of runs for the victory while Beck suffered his first loss of the season after going 4.1 innings while holding the Tars hitless through the first four innings. He allowed three hits in the fifth and saw four runs cross the plate. He struck out five and walked three. Booth came on and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings while allowing three hits, striking out three and walking one.
 
Redshirt junior Adrien Roa and sophomore Yazael Nunez were the only Lions with more than one hit in the contest. Roa was 2-for-4 at the plate while Nunez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
 
The loss drops the Lions' record to 4-7 on the year and 3-6 in Sunshine State Conference play. The Tars improved to 6-3 overall and 6-2 in league action.
 
The Lions struck first in the opening inning as senior Danny Torres reached on a one-out single up the middle. He then proceeded to steal second and was pushed to third on a groundout. He would then score on a wild pitch to give the Lions an early lead.
 
After three scoreless innings, the Lions would strike again in the fifth. Junior Eddie Niemann III started things off with a one-out single through the left side which was followed by a pair of wild pitches to move him to third. After a groundout to the pitcher, Niemann III was driven home by Nunez who sent a single to centerfield.
 
The Tars would tally their only runs in the bottom half of the fifth as they opened the inning with a solo home run which was followed up four batters later with a three-run shot which would be the only scoring they would need.
 
The Lions were unable to get a runner on base in the sixth and seventh innings but Nunez picked up his second hit of the day in the eighth but was put out the very next at bat on a double play. Roa earned a two-out hit in the bottom of the ninth but the game ended on the very next at bat stranding him to end the game.
 
The Lions and Tars will return to the diamond tomorrow, April 1 at 3 p.m. as they take to the field at Thomas B. Southard Stadium for the Lions' lone home game in the series.  
 
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.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.