SAINT LEO, Fla. – In the season-opening non-conference doubleheader versus Augusta on Friday night, the Lions swept the Jaguars by winning game one by a 6-1 margin followed by earning a 5-4 victory in extra innings. Head coach Josh Keim collects his first two victories at the helm of the Saint Leo baseball program in the season opener.

GAME ONE: Saint Leo 6, Augusta 1

The Green and Gold were firing on all cylinders in the first inning as sophomore Luis Rivero doubled to left center to bring in junior Thomas DeBrower from second to put the Lions on the board first, 1-0. Rivero scored later in the inning as senior Braden Killens doubled to left center, giving Saint Leo a 2-0 advantage. The Green and Gold eventually grasped a 3-0 lead after a fielding error by the Jaguars to score senior Caleb Adams from third. Junior Ryan Crivello drove in sophomore Jake Carillo on a single to center field, 4-0.

In the second inning, an Rbi-single to center field from DeBrower scored senior Dylan McDonald to extend the Lions advantage to 5-0 before Rivero laced another RBI with a single up the middle, 6-0. The Augusta lineup was limited to just two hits for the rest of the game and scored a run in the ninth inning, 6-1.

DeBrower finished the game 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs. McDonald tallied two hits, one walk, and one run while Rivero collected a pair of hits, two RBI and one run scored. Both Killens and Crivello notched an RBI on one hit. On the mound, graduate student Kyle Scrape started and registered four strikeouts in 5.0 innings to earn the win on 56 pitches and allowed four hits. In relief, graduate student Drew Rudsinski pitched 4.0 innings and tallied six strikeouts and surrendered one run (unearned) on 57 pitches while collecting the save.

GAME TWO: Saint Leo 5, Augusta 4 (10 Inn.)

With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th and a runner on third with one out, McDonald hit a walk-off blooper to right field to score junior Ryan Jackson to earn the sweep for the doubleheader.

The Jaguars started the game with three homers as they led by a 3-0 margin by the third inning. Graduate student Adam Berry scored a run off a wild pitch in the fourth inning, 3-1. Augusta reclaimed a three-run lead in the fifth with an RBI-single to right center, 4-1. The Lions rallied in the sixth inning to score three runs and tie the game at 4-4.

McDonald notched two hits and one RBII while junior Amai Rivera-Martinez went 1-for-1 with two key RBI in the sixth inning. Berry and Jacson each scored twice. On the mound, senior Aedan Walter started and pitched 3.0 innings while allowing three hits and three runs (all earned) in addition to five strikeouts. In relief, senior Kaelan Racculia recorded the win as he pitched 4.0 innings and posted eight strikeouts while just allowing two hits on 58 pitches.

Saint Leo returns to the field tomorrow, Saturday, February 1 as it concludes its four-game series against Augusta with a doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m.