DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Saint Leo University softball team earned a hard fought 1-0 victory to open its Sunshine State Conference series at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Friday evening. A Hailey Beuerlein RBI single in the third inning was all the Lions needed to earn the series opening victory. Haleigh Thomas pitched a seven-inning shutout allowing just two hits for her eighth victory of the season.

Alexis Barber led the offense as she went three-for-four at the plate with the lone run scored of the game. Shyanne Waller and Briana Neal both went two-for-three. Beuerlein and Alyssa Perez also recorded a hit in the win for the Lions.

SAINT LEO 1, EMBRY-RIDDLE 0
The Lions capitalized on a fielding error by the Eagles in the top of the third inning as Barber reached on a fielding error. Following a walk by Perez, Beuerlein came to the plate with two outs and delivered an RBI base hit to center that scored Barber from second.

Saint Leo looked to add on to its lead as back-to-back base hits by Barber and Perez opened the fifth inning. Thanks to a wild pitch the runners advanced up a base to give the visitors two runners in scoring position with no outs. The Eagles got a break as the Lions lined into a double play and a fly out to center ended the threat.

ERAU saw just two base runners reach third base as the same runner reached third in second and fifth innings both with two outs. Thomas kept the shutout going both times as she got a strikeout swinging in the third and a ground out to short in the fifth.

The Eagles drew a two-out walk in the seventh to bring the winning run to the plate. Briana Neal caught a line drive to end the game and give the Lions their 23rd win of the season.

Thomas pitched her fourth complete game shutout of the season and improved to 8-5 in 2024.

UP NEXT
The Lions and the Eagles are set to complete their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.