SAINT LEO, Fla. – After planning for return to play, No. 4 Saint Leo softball hosted their first contest since March 11, 2020 at University Softball Stadium. The Lions welcomed in Barry Sunday afternoon and the Green and Gold swept the day with scores of 3-2 and 8-0 in five innings after stellar pitching performances by Kayla Betts and Morgan Shannon.
 
The win moved the fourth-ranked Saint Leo program to 3-1 on the year with a 3-0 mark in the Sunshine State Conference while Barry falls to 1-3, 0-3 SSC.
 
Betts hurled a gem in game one allowing four hits after going five innings of no-hit ball. In her second win of the year, the sophomore from Leesburg, Fla. recorded 11 strikeouts, reaching a new career-high; besting her previous of eight against Spring Hill on Feb. 1, 2020.
 
In game two, it was freshman Morgan Shannon who went the distance for her first collegiate win after just a two-hit five inning 8-0 win by the Green and Gold. The Clermont, Fla. native fanned four batters and allowed just two hits but the Lions helped strand the runners on base.
 
Shannon, Grace Spitulski and Kacie Kelly led the offensive charge with three hits a piece while Makensey Pankers and Alyssa Perez recorded the other three hits, Pankers with two and Perez one.
 
#4 Saint Leo 3, Barry 2
After a scoreless first frame, the Lions got on the board first in the bottom of the second on what seemed to be the first of many crazy plays of the day. With Emily Pilon on base, after a hit-by-pitch started the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice, Grace Spitulski would hit a bloop single to just behind the first base bag allowing Pilon to advance to third. Pilon would score as the second baseman booted the ball away and the Buccaneers tried to scurry to grab it.
 
Barry would score in back-to-back innings, the fifth and sixth, for a 2-1 lead and hold that going into the bottom of the seventh. The Lions would get a leadoff walk by Sadi Avants before Morgan Shannon made her first appearance in the game.
 
Pilon sacrificed Shannon to second before Alyssa Perez singled to center field putting runners on the corners. A double-steal allowed Shannon to score and Perez to reach third. With two outs, Makensey Pankers drew the walk to get a two-out base runner. A Spitulski single allowed for two on with two outs for newcomer, Alexandra Hare. Hare would hit a soft grounder to short stop, who was ranging towards second and would step on the bag for an easy out and the final of the inning, except, the Bucs shortstop dropped the ball allowing Spitulski to advance safely, Hare to reach safely, and Pankers to round third and score the winning run.
 
#4 Saint Leo 8, Barry 0 (5 innings)
The Lions would come alive in game two with a monster six-run fifth to end the game with a run rule, scattering eight hits to the Bucs two. Saint Leo again got on the board first with a run in the third on yet again another wild play allowing Kacie Kelly, who reached base on a bunt single, to come around and score from third.

Saint Leo again would tack on two more runs in the fourth before heading to the fifth inning leading 3-0. The Lions showed patience at the plate, loading the bases after two singles and a walk. A fielder's choice and a walk would move it to 5-0 and force a pitching change.
 
Perez and Hare would come in to score to make it 7-0 with one out. With two on, Pilon at third and Shannon at second, Kacie Kelly dug into the box looking to end the game at her hands and drove the ball right at first base. The ball glanced off the glove of the Bucs' Payton Germer and down the right field foul territory as a fair ball allowing Pilon to come across for the final run of the afternoon.
 
Up Next
Saint Leo welcomes Florida Southern for a doubleheader Friday, March 12 at 4pm with the first game of the day being a Sunshine State Conference game and the second game a non-conference game.  

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.

How to Watch
Lions fans are able to watch the game and follow live stats via the Sunshine State Conference Digital Network where the Green and Gold's home games will be streamed and carry live statistics. For viewing any of the Green and Gold's contests against conference opponents, go to sunshinestateconference.tv or directly to the Lions' portal HERE. For following along with the live stats, fans can view them HERE. For more coverage of the Saint Leo softball program or any of the University's intercollegiate events, go to saintleolions.com/coverage.

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.