SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo University softball team dropped its Sunshine State Conference series opener to the visiting Florida Tech Panthers at home on Friday night. The Lions rallied for a pair of runs in the fourth inning to cut into the Panthers lead but a strong pitching performance from Florida Tech stifled the Lions hitting. Saint Leo falls to 19-9 overall and 7-3 in SSC action.  

The Panthers took control of the game early putting four runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Tech belted back-to-back homers by its fifth and sixth hitters.

Saint Leo's lineup was attacking early at the plate as the lineup faced just 65 pitches over seven innings.

The Lions got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the Panthers lead to three runs.

Briana Neal sent a base hit to right field that slipped under the right fielders glove and allowed Madyson Coe and Sydney Cline to score.

Caroline Barwick come on to pitch hit to leadoff the bottom of the sixth and laid down a perfect bunt that the pitcher couldn't handle for the lead off base hit. The Lions stranded the base runner as they were unable to get anything going.

The bottom of the seventh looked awfully similar to the bottom of the sixth as the Lions got a lead off base runner on a base hit to center off the bat of Alyssa Perez but were unable to plate any runs. Tech got closed out the game by getting three straight ground balls to the left side of the infield.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Florida Tech return to University Softball Stadium to conclude the Sunshine State Conference series on Saturday with first pitch of game one set for noon.