SAINT LEO, Fla. – The 20th-ranked Saint Leo University softball completed a three-game sweep of Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday. The Lions used a big run inning in each game to secure the sweep. Saint Leo improves to 11-3 overall and 6-0 in Sunshine State Conference play.

Madyson Coe led the Lions hitting on Saturday as she went four-for-seven at the plate with two doubles, a run scored, and five RBI. Briana Neal went two-for-four with two runs scored and four RBI on the day.

In the circle the Lions three pitchers combined for a 1.08 ERA in 13 innings pitched while allowing just two earned runs on eight hits while striking out nine batters along the way.

GAME 1: #20 SAINT LEO 6, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 2

• Saint Leo jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on just one hit. PBA's starting pitcher failed to record an out as she walked the lead off batter and hit the second batter with a pitch before Madyson Coe sent a two-RBI double to center. Coe came around to score as Briana Neal hit a sac fly to left field.
• Neal once again came up big for the Lions with a base hit through the left side of the infield that allowed her to reach second on an errant throw by the third baseman. On the throw, Nia DeBenedittis scored the fourth Saint Leo run. Jayla Brooks followed with a single through the left side to plate Neal for a 5-0 Lions lead.
• The Sailfish responded in the top of the fourth with runs on an RBI double and an RBI base hit cutting the Saint Leo lead to 5-2.
• Coe hit her second RBI double of the game to get one of those runs back for the Lions in the bottom of the fourth inning.
• In the circle, Haleigh Thomas allowed just two runs as she scattered five hits across seven innings while striking out nine Sailfish along the way.

 
GAME 2: #20 SAINT LEO 9, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 1 (6 innings)

• The second game of the day got off to a tough start for the Lions and Kayla Betts as the three of the first four Sailfish reached base on a pair of walks and an infield single. Tiereny Hocquard entered in relief and after hitting her first batter with the bases loaded to drive the first run of the game, she settled in nicely. Hocquard pitched out of the jam by getting an inning ending double play on a line drive to first base.
• Over the first three innings, Saint Leo managed just one hit, a double to centerfield off the bat of Alyssa Perez in the second inning and she was stranded at third.
• The Lions' fourth inning was a big one as they batted round with three batters coming to the plate for a second time in the inning. Saint Leo turned a 1-0 deficit into a 7-1 advantage. Neal, Sydney Cline, Alexis Barber, and Coe all produced RBI hits in the breakout inning.
• After the Lions big inning, Hocquard allowed just one base runner on a lead off walk to begin the top of the sixth but she stranded at second.
• Cline drew a lead off walk to open the bottom of the sixth and Hope Epps followed with a perfect bunt to put runners on the corners with no outs. Barber's swinging bunt to the catcher saw pinch runner Grace Dunsworth score the eighth Saint Leo run. With one out, Epps raced home to score the game-ending run on a wild pitch from the Sailfish pitcher.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Thomas struck out nine batters, just one shy of her career-high.
• The two teams combined for 45 at bats and not a single batter struck out.
• Tierney Hocquard picked up her first win of the season in game one as she pitched a career-high 5.2 innings.
• Coe improved her season average to .447 as she now leads the team in that category.
• Hailey Beurelein and Alexis Barber lead the team with 19 hits each.
• Beuerlein (19), Coe (14), and Neal (14) have combined for 47 of Saint Leo's 88 RBI on the season.

UP NEXT
The Lions have a quick turnaround before their next games with Bridgeport (Feb. 27) coming to town for a doubleheader at University Softball Stadium next week.

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