MELBOURNE, Fla. – Friday night's Sunshine State Conference series opener between the visiting Saint Leo University Lions softball team and the host Florida Tech Panthers saw both teams bring lengthy win streaks into the series opener. Saint Leo entered Friday on a 14-game win streak while Florida Tech was on a 13-game win streak. A six-run second inning was all the Lions needed to extend their win streak to 15 games. The Lions took the opening game 11-3 in five innings to improve to 23-8 overall and 8-5 in conference play. The loss drops the Panthers to 21-13 overall and 7-6 in SSC action.  
 
Tiereny Hocquard struggled in the first inning allowing three runs on two hits while walking a pair. She settled in over the final four innings to hold the Panthers to a pair of hits in the bottom of the fifth to earn her eighth win of the season. The Lions scored 11 runs on eight hits as two batters were walked. Sophomore Alexis Barber led the Saint Leo lineup with three hits as she recorded the 100th hit of her career. Lindsey Corazinni also had a multi-hit game going two-for-four with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Barber and Hope Epps were the only two Lions to score twice in the win.
 
 
SAINT LEO 11, FLORIDA TECH 3 (5 inns.)
The home team opened the scoring the bottom of the first inning putting up three runs on an RBI base hit and a two-run homer.
The Lions quickly responded with a six spot in the top of the second inning. The first six batters all reached base as the Lions tied the game at 3-3 as Corazzini's base hit up the middle was the only ball to lead the infield in the inning. Saint Leo took advantage of five errors by the Panthers to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 6-3 advantage.
 
Saint Leo added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth as it capitalized on a fielding error. Sydney Cline reached on a fielding error that allowed Barber to make it a 7-3 game. Shyanne Waller added another run on an RBI base hit up the middle to score Haleigh Thomas.
 
The Lions scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to push the game into run-rule territory. Barber sent a one out RBI base hit to right center to score Epps making it a 9-3 game. With the bases loaded, Corazzini hit an infield hit to shortstop that scored a pair of runs as the fielding woes for the home team continued.
The home team put up a bit of a fight in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of hits. Hocquard stranded runners on second and third to close out the game for her eighth win of the season.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Florida Tech return to complete its three-game set with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch of game one is set for noon.