ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The 18th-ranked Saint Leo University softball team earned a split on the first day of the Old Coast Classic host by Flager College in St. Augustine. The Lions earned a convincing 9-1 five-inning win over Edward Waters in the first game. Saint Leo nearly erased a 5-0 deficit in the second game scoring four unanswered runs in a 5-4 loss to #17 Wingate in the second game.
Saint Leo moves to 4-2 on the season with the split.

Hailey Bauerlein went 4-for-5 on the day with six RBI and her second home run of the season.

#18 Saint Leo 9, Edward Waters 1 (5 innings)
Morgan Shannon improved to 2-0 on the season as she allowed just on run on three hits in five innings of work against Edward Waters. Shannon struck out a career-high 11 batter in the victory.

Madyson Coe put the Lions on the board early with a solo shot in the second inning, her second of in as many games.

Alyssa Perez's two-RBI double in the third inning drove in the eventual game winning run as Caroline Barwick scored the second Lions run.

EWU responded with a RBI base hit in the top of the fourth making it a 3-1 Lions lead.

Hailey Beuerlein hit a two-run shot over the left center wall driving in Jayla Brooks on the play adding to the Lions lead.

Shannon struck out the side in the top of fifth setting up the Lions chance to run-rule the Tigers.

The Lions used a four-run fifth inning to put away game. Beuerlein cleared the bases with a three-RBI double scoring Hope Epps, Grace Dunsworth and Coe.

An RBI base hit off the bat of Haleigh Thomas drove in Shannon for the final run of the game.

#17 Wingate 5, #18 Saint Leo 4

Wingate jumped out to a 5-0 lead with five runs in the top of the third on an RBI base hit, a two-RBI triple and a two-run home run.  

After the homer, Tierney Hocquard came on in relief of Kayla Betts and after giving up a base hit and hitting a batter, the freshman ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts stranding the runners.

In 4.2 innings pitched, Hocquard scattered a pair of hits while walking two and striking out nine as she allowed no Bulldogs to cross the plate.

As Hocquard was silencing the Wingate bats, the Lions offense started to heat up.

Coe put the Lions on the board with an RBI base hit to center that scored Caroline Barwick.

Saint Leo scored two in the fifth to make it a two-run game. Jayla Brooks reached on a fielding error that saw Alexis Barber score the second Saint Leo run. Hope Epps doubled to left center driving in Brooks cutting the deficit to two runs.

The Lions put the pressure on the Wingate defense as the first three Lions reached base. With runners on first and second, Beuerlein sent a base hit up the middle scoring Shyanne Wall and putting the tying run on second. The Lions loaded the bases with one out. Wingate got out of the jam with a force out at home and strikeout looking to put the game away.

Saint Leo returns for day two of the Old Coast Classic with an 11:30 a.m. game against #17 Wingate followed by a 4:30 p.m. game against Converse.

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