SAINT LEO, Fla. – The #22 Saint Leo University softball team displayed an excellent showing on both the hitting and defensive sides Tuesday night, shutting out Chestnut Hill College  in both contests 10-0 and 4-0 at University Softball Stadium.
 
SLU 10, CHC 0 (5 inn.)
For the first time this season, Saint Leo (20-3, 8-1 SSC) run-ruled an opponent, finishing Chestnut Hill (0-10, 0-0 CACC) in five innings.  The Lions amassed 13 hits while not allowing a single hit to the Griffins.  Junior infielder Alexandra Hare and Freshman infielder Briana both went 2-for-3 at the dish with multi-RBI performances while Fifth-year outfielder Bayley Williams went 2-for-2 with three runs scored.
 
Freshman utility Haleigh Thomas (5-0) pitched four innings and allowed no hits with three strikeouts before Freshman pitcher Tierney Hocquard finished out the fifth inning.
 
With Saint Leo up 1-0, Fifth-year Kendyl Crean began the hitting fiesta in the second inning with a double to center field that set up a string of three more hits, highlighted by a Hare 2RBI double to extend the lead 3-0.  A pair of Griffin errors, coupled with a Neal hit, added three more runs for the Green & Gold (6-0).
 
Three more runs would be tacked on by the Lions one inning later, including Freshman utility Amel Salman who registered her first collegiate RBI along with a score that boosted Saint Leo's lead to 9-0.
 
Salman was not the only Lion with a first in this contest.  After delivering a triple, Freshman infielder Hailey Beuerlein scored her first run on a RBI single from Freshman Caroline Barwick for the Green & Gold's final score in the first game.
 
SLU 4, CHC 0
Williams continued to have a great day at the dish, this time hitting 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.  The Lions as a whole outhit the Griffins 6-3.
 
Junior pitcher Morgan Shannon (1-0) recorded her first win of the 2023 season throwing six innings and allowing two hits with six strikeouts and walking two.
 
Neal's leadoff double in the second set up the Sanford, Fla. native to score the team's first run off a RBI from Sophomore outfielder Hope Epps.  Neal would again cash in big for Saint Leo on a sacrifice fly that brought in one run before a Chestnut Hill throwing error allowed Junior infielder Alyssa Perez to score and extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Williams' lone RBI brought in Shannon for the game's final run in the fifth inning before Junior pitcher Kayla Swinson entered in the seventh and preserved the Lions' 4-0 win and doubleheader sweep.
 
Saint Leo remains at home Thursday as the Lions host King University (Tenn.) for a non-conference twinbill.  First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
 
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