GULF SHORES, Ala. – Saint Leo University softball opened the 2026 season with a dominating performance all over the field to earn a 3-0 win over West Alabama in game one. The Lions went 1-1 on the day dropping game two, 4-1 to #12 AUM on Friday evening. Saint Leo opens the 2026 season 1-1 for the third consecutive year.

Senior pitcher Tiereny Hocquard picked up right where she left off in 2025 as she took a perfect game into the fourth inning. Hocquard went the distance facing two batters over the minimum while striking out 11 and allowing just a single hit in the fourth inning, which ended her bid for a perfect game. Game one saw three Lions combine for six of the seven hits as Marissa Martinez, Sydney Cline, and Izzy LaRoche all had a multi-hit game. Cline led the team with a pair of RBI as Martinez' RBI proved to be the winner.

Game two did not go in favor of the Lions as the #12 Warhawks got to the Saint Leo pitching early. Haleigh Thomas faced four batters in just a third of an inning pitched. Transfer pitcher Alex Wright and sophomore pitcher Bella DeJulio followed in the circle for the Lions, earning a pair of strikeouts each. Wright allowed a pair of runs while DeJulio stranded three hits across four scorless innings of work.  

#20 SAINT LEO 3, WEST ALABAMA 0
Senior pitcher Tierney Hocquard was untouchable in the circle for the Lions as she got the opening day start in the circle for the Lions. Hocquard went the distance allowing a single hit across seven scoreless innings of work. The Canadian struck out every single batter in the Tigers lineup at least once including striking out the side in the third inning.

The Lions only need a three-run fourth inning to get the win. Martinez hit singled in a run with the bases loaded, scoring Izzy LaRoche to break the scoreless tie. Alexis Barber draw a two out walk to reload the bases before Cline followed with a two RBI double to score Martinez and Hailey Buerlein for insurance runs.

The final three frames were pretty quiet as the teams combined for just a trio of base runners.

#12 AUM 4, SAINT LEO 1
The Warhawks got to the Lions pitching early as the first three batters reached base. AUM used a pair of miscues by the Lions defense to take a 2-0 lead after the first. The defensive woes continued for the Lions as AUM scored its second run off an error.

Saint Leo got on the board in the third inning. Back-to-back base hits by Beuerlein and Tegan Larrimore primed the Lions to get on the board with a one-out RBI triple by Briana Neal. Leading 3-1 in the bottom of the third, AUM got the run back with an RBI base hit.

Both teams threatened to add on over the final four innings. DeJulio got out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Lions within fighting distance. Saint Leo stranded a leadoff double by Maddie Antioco in the top of the seventh.  

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The second day of the 2026 Gulf Shores Invitational has been canceled. The Lions will return to the diamond on Sunday for games against Delta State and Union (Tenn.).