SAINT LEO, Fla. – Pitching once again dominated as Saint Leo University Softball swept its doubleheader against the visiting Panthers of Adelphi University on Wednesday evening at the Mary Cannon Cabot Softball Stadium. The Lions pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts across both games of the doubleheader. Saint Leo improves to 15-8 on the season, while Adelphi falls to 1-3 overall in just its first two days its season.
 
In the first inning of game one, junior Briana Neal drew her team-leading 14 walk of the season and reached base for a career-high twenty-first game in a row. Junior Haleigh Thomas went three-for-three and scored two runs, while Neal recorded a team-high three RBI. The reigning SSC Player of the Week, Sydney Cline recorded a pair of hits and drove in a run. Freshman Chloe Hocquard struck out 10 batters and pitched five innings of one-run softball before exiting in the sixth with two runners on-base. Junior Tierney Hocquard pitched two innings and struck out two batters in relief of her sisters stellar pitching job.
 
In the second game, Thomas hit her sixth double of the season and drove in two runs. Sophomore Alexis Barber recorded two RBI and scored a run. Cline continued her offensive showcase with two hits and an RBI. Neal delivered a two-hit game and drove in a run. Thomas pitched four scoreless innings and struck out four batters. Freshman Bella DeJulio pitched one and a third scoreless innings in relief before conceding two runs in the sixth. T. Hocquard came on in relief for the second time in as many games, pitching one and two-thirds scoreless innings.
 
Game 1: Saint Leo 5, Adelphi 2

• C. Hocquard struck out three batters in the first inning to get out of a jam, leaving two Adelphi runners in scoring position.
• Cline put Saint Leo on the board first with a two-out RBI single.
• The Lions struck again in the second inning, with Neal driving in a run on a fielder's choice before Senior Shyanne Waller drove in a third run on a sacrifice fly.
• In the third inning. Adelphi once again left two runners in scoring position, with C. Hocquard striking out another two batters.
• Neal delivered her second RBI of the evening in the fourth inning, singling home Thomas.
• C. Hocquard struck out every Adelphi batter at least once before exiting in the sixth inning after Adelphi scored the first run given up by Lions pitching in 18 innings.
• The Panthers added a second run, but left the bases loaded as T. Hocquard limited the damage by striking out her second batter of the inning.
• The Lions added a fifth run in the bottom of the sixth, with Neal recording her third RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly.

 
Game 2: Saint Leo 8, Adelphi 2

• Adelphi led off the first inning with a single and two stolen bases. Thomas then retired the side and Adelphi left the go-ahead run on third.
• Cline opened the scoring for the Lions, singling home Waller in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Maddie Antioco then drove in the second run of the inning before the Lions loaded the bases.
• Junior Hailey Beuerlein delivered an RBI-single, with a second runner being thrown out at home. Thomas then delivered a two-run double as Saint Leo took a five-run lead.
• Neal extended her career-long on-base streak to 22 games with a one-out single in the fourth inning.
• Barber delivered a two-run single in the fourth inning, extending the Lions' lead to seven.
• Adelphi scored their first run of the second game with an RBI-single in the sixth inning.
• Neal delivered her team-leading seventh double of the season to drive in the Lions eighth run of the game.

 
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo continues its homestand on Friday, March 7, as they welcome #11 Wilmington Wildcats for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.