SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo baseball team's nine-inning rally fell short against top-ranked Tampa in the series opener on Thursday night in Sunshine State Conference (SSC) action as the Lions lost by an 8-4 margin.

The Spartans mounted an 8-0 lead in the seventh, however, a single to left center from senior Luis Sostre kickstarted the Lions offense in the ninth. Junior Thomas DeBrower drove in senior Caleb Adams, who pinch ran for Sostre, with a single through the right side. Junior Roberto Odor trimmed the Lions deficit to 8-2 by scoring on a throwing error by Tampa before senior Dylan McDonald knocked in a pair of runs with a triple to center field, 8-4.

On the mound, junior Tyler Mechella started and pitched 6.0 innings with seven strikeouts while allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. In relief, junior Wyatt Flack pitched 1.0 innings and struck out a batter.

Saint Leo returns to action on Friday, May 9 as it celebrates Senior Day prior to the first game of the doubleheader versus Tampa, starting at 3 p.m.