SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo University softball pushed its win streak to nine as it swept its Friday evening doubleheader against #11 Wilmington at the Mary Cannon Cabot Softball Stadium. The Lions combined to outscore the Wildcats 16-1 over the two run-rule victories. Saint Leo won both games on walk-off hits in the fifth innings and improved to 17-8 overall. Wilmington falls to 6-10 on the season.
 
Tiereny Hocquard shut out the Wildcats in game one backed behind a four-run first inning from her teammates. The Lions took command early with the four-run first inning, highlighted by RBI plays from Haleigh Thomas and Briana Neal. Saint Leo added to its lead in the second and third innings before sealing the win with two unearned runs in the fifth. Hocquard allowed just three hits and struck out four in a dominant performance, while Alexis Barber led the offense with a three-for-three effort.

Saint Leo completed the sweep of #11 Wilmington with a commanding 9-1 run-rule victory in five innings. The Lions used a five-run second inning to break the game open, with Barber's two-run single and Neal's bases loaded walk leading the charge. Wilmington's lone run came in the fourth, but Saint Leo responded immediately with an RBI single from Sydney Cline. In the fifth, Briana Neal put the game away with a two-run double to secure the victory. Chloe Hocquard and Bella DiJulio combined for a strong pitching performance, holding Wilmington to just one run on five hits.
 
GAME 1 (5 inns.): SAINT LEO 8, #11 WILMINGTON 0
Saint Leo dominated from start to finish, shutting out Wilmington (Del.) 8-0 in game one that went five-innings for a run-rule victory to extend the win streak to eight. The Lions jumped ahead early, putting up a four-run first inning and never looking back.
After Wilmington stranded two runners in the top of the first, Saint Leo wasted no time applying pressure. Alexis Barber got the offense rolling with an infield single, and the Lions quickly loaded the bases. A hit-by-pitch and a fielder's choice brought in the first two runs, and Hailey Beuerlein's bases-loaded walk pushed another across. Lindsay Corazzini then capped the inning with an RBI groundout, giving Saint Leo a commanding 4-0 lead.
The Lions tacked on a run in the second when Haleigh Thomas ripped an RBI single down the right-field line, scoring Alexis Barber. A sacrifice fly by Briana Neal in the third extended the lead to 6-0, while Saint Leo's pitching continued to dominate.
T. Hocquard was lights out in the circle, allowing just three hits over five innings while striking out four. Wilmington struggled to generate any offense, with only one runner reaching third base in the game.
Saint Leo sealed the win in the fifth when an error by Wilmington allowed two more runs to score, securing the 8-0 victory via run rule.
 
GAME 2 (5 inns.): SAINT LEO 9, #11 WILMINGTON 1
Saint Leo completed the sweep over Wilmington (Del.) with a dominant 9-1 run-rule victory in five innings in game two. The Lions jumped ahead early and never let up, using a five-run second inning to take full control of the game.
Saint Leo got on the board in the first inning when Neal reached on a walk, advanced into scoring position, and came home on a fielding error to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
The Lions broke the game open in the second, starting with a leadoff single by Beuerlein and a walk to Corazzini. After loading the bases, Neal drew a walk to force in a run before Barber delivered a two-run single down the right-field line. An aggressive base running play saw another run score on a throw, and Thomas capped off the inning with an RBI double, pushing the lead to 6-0.
Wilmington managed to get on the board in the fourth, taking advantage of a double and a pair of passed balls to score their only run of the game. However, Saint Leo quickly responded in the bottom half, as Cline singled to drive in Barber and restore the six-run cushion.
In the fifth, Saint Leo put the game away for good. After a walk and a single put two runners on, Neal delivered the final blow with a two-run double to left-center, sealing the 9-1 run-rule victory.
 
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo continues its homestand on Tuesday, March 11, as they welcome West Liberty for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.