WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Saint Leo University softball opened the month of March with a doubleheader sweep to completed the three-game sweep of the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Saturday. The Lions pitching dominated on Saturday as a pair of freshman pitchers tossed complete games as Chloe Hocquard earned her first collegiate win of her career. Bella DiJulio followed that up with her second win of the season as she took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. Saint Leo improved to 11-8 overall and 4-5 in SSC play as the Sailfish are now 7-5 overall and 2-4 in conference action.
 
C. Hocquard got the start in game on for the Lions and pitched seven innings of two run softball on just three hits while walking one and striking out a dozen Sailfish. Saint Leo scored eight runs on 11 hits as Shyanne Waller led the hitters in game one with three hits.
 
DiJulio matched Hocquard's stellar pitching with her own complete game outing going seven innings allowing a single run on four hits while striking out seven and walking none. The freshman took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. Sydney Cline once again had a great game at the plate as she went three-for-three with three RBI and a run scored as she blasted her first career home run in the victory.   
 
GAME 1: SAINT LEO 8, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 2

• Saint Leo jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, setting the tone early in the first inning as Briana Neal led off with a triple to left-center and came in to score on an RBI base hit from Shyanne Waller.
• Saint Leo added three more runs in the second, capitalizing on defensive miscues by the Sailfish. A hit-by-pitch and a bunt single put two runners on before H. Beuerlein's sacrifice bunt led to two runs scoring on an error. Neal followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-0.
• The Lions' offense continued to apply pressure in the third inning. Hope Epps roped an RBI double down the right-field line, and Hailey Beuerlein added a two-run single to push the margin to 7-0.
• Palm Beach Atlantic responded in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of a wild pitch and a passed ball to plate two runs and cut the deficit to 7-2. However, that was all they could muster against Saint Leo's dominant pitching.
• Chloe Hocquard was stellar in the circle, throwing a complete game while allowing just three hits and striking out 12. She kept the Sailfish off balance all afternoon, recording multiple 1-2-3 innings.
• Saint Leo tacked on one final run in the fourth on an RBI ground out by Sydney Cline, while their defense and pitching shut the door the rest of the way.

 
GAME 2: SAINT LEO 7, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 1

• Saint Leo wasted no time seizing control, scoring five runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Lions capitalized on early offensive momentum, with Alexis Barber executing a bunt single to bring in the first run before Sydney Cline added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Marissa Martinez and Hope Epps followed with RBI singles, and a wild sequence on the bases allowed Saint Leo to plate five runs in the opening frame.
• From there, the game turned into a pitcher's duel, as the two starting pitchers settled in. Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth, when the Sailfish pushed across their only run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
• Cline provided the exclamation point with a two-run home run to right field—the first of her career—giving the Lions some extra insurance.
• DiJulio was dominant in the circle, throwing a complete game while allowing just four hits and striking out seven. 

UP NEXT
Saint Leo returns home for an action packed week as it will play three doubleheaders, beginning with two games against Tiffin (Ohio) on Monday evening at Mary Cannon Cabot Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.