LAKELAND, Fla. – The Saint Leo baseball team found its offensive rhythm Wednesday night while a trio of pitchers held the Moccasins of Florida Southern to just two runs in a 12-2 Lions victory. Eight Lion batters picked up a hit while seven drove in at least one run. Redshirt sophomore Jared Beck pitched a gem on the mound going 6.0 innings while striking out nine and scattering five hits.
 
The Lions wasted little time getting on the board Wednesday night as they pushed across three runs in the second, six in the third and another in the fourth to take an early 10-0 lead. The Mocs would not score until the sixth when the tallied a single run. They repeated the single score in the seventh but the Lions answered with single runs of their own in the eighth and ninth for the 12-2 win.
 
Senior Sam Crail led the Lion offense as he went 3-for-6 at the plate with a pair of doubles, a run scored and three RBI. Junior Eddie Niemann III and sophomore Yazael Nunez each went 2-for-4 at the dish. Niemann posted a double, a run scored, a hit by pitch and an RBI while Nunez scored three times, picked up a double, drove in a team-high four runs while walking twice.
 
Five others each picked up a hit, highlighted by redshirt senior Danny Torres who scored three times, drove in two runs and launched an eighth inning solo home run while walking twice.  
 
The Lions pitching staff also found its rhythm Wednesday night as well and it all started with Beck going 6.0 innings in the start to earn his second victory in a Lion uniform. He struck out nine while allowing three walks and five hits. He saw just two runs cross the plate in the victory. Redshirt senior Jimmy Burnette pitched the next two innings while striking out two and walking a pair. He did not allow a hit in the appearance. Freshman Drew Rudsinski came on in the ninth and struck out one while allowing three hits. Despite loading the bases, Rudsinski kept the Mocs at bay closing the door on the victory.
 
The Mocs pitchers struggled to find the zone, giving up 12 walks on the night and hitting thre Lion batters. The Lions on the other hand walked just five Mocs and did not give up a HBP.  
 
The Lions and Mocs will meet in exactly one week to close out their three-game Sunshine State Conference series. Saint Leo will welcome Florida Southern to Thomas B. Southard Stadium Wednesday, April 14 for a 6 p.m. contest as the Lions look to sweep the season 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.