MIAMI SHORES,  Fla. – The eighth-ranked Saint Leo University softball made the trip down to Miami Shores as it returned to Sunshine State Conference play at Barry. The Lions saw their win streak grow to 20 games with an 8-0 win over the Buccaneers. Saint Leo improves to 25-2-1 overall and 10-0 in SSC play, while Barry falls to 16-15 overall and 7-3 in SSC action.

Briana Neal led the way with a 3-for-4 day and two runs scored, Alexis Barber went 2-for-3 with three RBI, Maddie Antioco finished 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, and Nia DeBenedittis added two hits and an RBI. In the circle, Tierney Hocquard tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits with two walks and three strikeouts as the Lions moved to 25-2-1 overall and 10-0 in SSC play.  

How It Happened
Saint Leo struck first in the opening inning. Neal singled and Barber walked to open the game, and after a sacrifice bunt by Abigail Hynes moved both runners up, Sydney Cline brought home Neal with a sacrifice bunt for a 1-0 lead.  

The Lions added three more in the second. Antioco opened the frame with a triple down the right field line and scored on a DeBenedittis RBI groundout. Later in the inning, after Hailey Beuerlein walked and Neal singled, a passed ball moved both runners into scoring position before Barber lined a two-run single to left to make it 4-0.  

Saint Leo pushed the lead to 5-0 in the fourth. DeBenedittis started the inning with an infield single, Marissa Martinez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to third, and Beuerlein followed with a sacrifice fly to left.  

In the fifth, Cline was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on LaRoche's bunt single, and came home on Antioco's RBI infield single for a 6-0 advantage.  

The Lions added another run in the sixth when Beuerlein singled, pinch runner Sommer Spears moved into scoring position, and Barber delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Spears and extend the lead to 7-0.  

Saint Leo capped the scoring in the seventh. Cline tripled to left to begin the inning and scored two batters later on an Antioco groundout, sealing the 8-0 final.  

Meanwhile, Hocquard worked out of Barry's best threat in the third, stranding runners at second and third, and did not allow the Buccaneers to score across her seven-inning shutout.  
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
20 consecutive wins
196 runs scored by Saint Leo
17 Home runs
.364 team batting average
.180 opponent batting average
181 strikeouts by Saint Leo pitching
2.03 team ERA
15 complete games
9 wins by Tierney Hocquard leads the team

UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Barry return to complete its SSC series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon in Miami Shores.
 
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