SOFTBALL COMPLETES THREE-GAME SWEEP OF EMBRY-RIDDLE
 
Saint Leo Softball finishes the month of March with an 18-1 record.
 
SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo University softball won its fourth consecutive Sunshine State Conference series with an eighth-inning walk-off win over the Embry-Riddle Eagles on Saturday. The Lions swept the Saturday doubleheader to complete the series sweep over the Eagles at Mary Cannon Cabot Stadium. With the sweep, Saint Leo has won 19 of its last 20 games to improve to 27-9 on the season and 11-6 in SSC play, while Embry-Riddle falls to 18-15 overall and 6-11 in conference action.
 
In the first game, sophomore Maddie Antioco led the way with three hits and two RBI, including the walk-off single in the eighth inning. Junior Briana Neal and sophomore Sydney Cline followed with two hits of their own. Freshman Chloe Hocquard pitched six and two-thirds innings, allowing seven runs (six earned), while striking out five batters. Freshman Bella DeJulio pitched one and a third scoreless innings in relief of C. Hocquard.
 
In the second game, freshman Ayani Hernandez led the Lions lineup with a pair of RBI. Three Lions (Barber, Waller, and Antioco) all recorded a multi-hit game. In the circle, Thomas pitched three and two-thirds innings, striking out six batters to earn her sixth win of the season. DeJulio and junior Tierney Hocquard combined for three and one-thirds innings of scoreless softball in relief.
 
GAME 1: SAINT LEO 8, EMBRY-RIDDLE 7 (8 inns.)

• Embry-Riddle struck first with a first-inning run coming home on a sacrifice fly after a series of bunts.
• The Lions responded quickly in the bottom of the first as Neal reached on an error. Antioco drove Neal home and scored a batter later on a triple from Thomas.
• Saint Leo struck again in the second inning, with senior Hops Epps scoring on an infield single from Neal. The second run of the inning came home on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Alexis Barber.
• The Lions continued to score in the third inning. Cline delivered a leadoff single and Thomas reached on an error. A sacrifice fly from junior Lindsay Corazzini brought home Cline, and Thomas later scored on a wild pitch.
• The Lions loaded the bases and threatened to blow the game wide-open in the fourth. However, a hard-hit double play quickly ended the inning with no runs scored.
• The visiting Eagles scored on a sacrifice bunt with quick base running in the fifth inning, cutting into the lead.
• The Lions added a seventh run on a sacrifice fly from senior Shyanne Waller.
• The Eagles cut into the lead with a two-run single in the top of the seventh. Two more runs came across on a double, and the tying run quickly came home on a single.
• In the bottom of the seventh, Corazzini drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and later to third on a sacrifice bunt by Epps. However, the Lions left to winning run at third, as the game headed to extra innings.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Antioco drove in Barber with a walk-off single to clinch the Lions' fourth-straight SSC series.

 
GAME 2: SAINT LEO 7, EMBRY-RIDDLE  1

• The Lions opened the scoring in the second inning, with Hernandez driving in two runs after reaching on an error.
• The Eagles got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a two-out RBI single. DeJulio then entered in relief of Thomas, making her second appearance in as many games.
• In the bottom of the fourth Waller drove in the third Lions run of the game. Pinchrunner, senior Caroline Barwick, stole second and Epps quickly advanced home, extending the lead to three.
• T. Hocquard turned an impressive double play in the top of the sixth inning, catching a line drive and quickly throwing out a runner returning to first base.
• Barber delivered in one-out RBI double in the sixth, adding some insurance to the Saint Leo lead.
• The Lions added more runs in the sixth, with sophomore Nia DeBenedittis and Cline both driving in runs to increase the lead.

 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo hits the road to Lakeland for a three-game SSC series against the Florida Southern Moccasins. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.