FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Briana Neal's team-leading sixth homerun and a fielder's choice was all the offense the top-ranked Saint Leo University softball team needed to earn 3-2 win for a series victory over the Nova Southeastern Sharks on Saturday. The offence exploded for 11 runs in the second game as Alex Wright improved to 9-0 on the season.  Izzy LaRoche's team-leading seventh home run plus both LaRoche and Alexis Barber stealing home highlighted a pair of crooked innings for Saint Leo in game two. The Green & Gold improves to 39-2-1 and remain perfect in SSC play at 24-0 extending the best start to conference play in program history. Nova Southeastern falls to 22-21 overall and 8-13 in SSC action.
 
Coming off a complete game shut out just the night before, Tierney Hocquard pitched two innings in game one, striking out two and allowing one hit as she recorded her 17th win of the season.  on her 13th complete game and her sixth shutout of the season. Briana Neal homered in the third inning tying the team lead with her sixth homerun.
 
Game two saw a litany of pitchers used with Alex Wright making the start before giving way to Bella DeJulio, and Chloe Hocquard and Tierney Hocquard. Izzy LaRoche hit her seventh homerun and the Lions stole six bases.

GAME 1: #1 SAINT LEO 3, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 2
Saint Leo broke through first in the third inning. Marissa Martinez worked a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Ayani Hernandez. With two outs, Briana Neal delivered the big swing of the day, launching a two-run home run to left center to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.

The Lions' pitching staff kept Nova Southeastern quiet through the opening five innings. Haleigh Thomas struck out seven batters across five-plus innings and stranded multiple Shark threats, including a two-on jam in the third and a runner at second in the fourth.

Nova Southeastern rallied in the sixth. Abbey Moore singled and Ana Richiez was hit by a pitch to put two aboard before Tierney Hocquard entered in relief. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Destiny Lewis tripled to right center to bring home two runs and tie the game at 2-2. Hocquard limited the damage there, helping erase a potential go-ahead run at the plate before ending the inning.

Saint Leo answered immediately in the seventh. Izzy LaRoche was hit by a pitch to start the frame and pinch runner Sommer Spears advanced to second on a wild pitch. Maddie Antioco moved Spears to third with a sacrifice bunt, and Adriana Przespolewski brought home the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice for a 3-2 advantage.

Hocquard slammed the door in the bottom half. The freshman retired all three batters she faced, including two strikeouts, to secure the series-opening Sunshine State Conference win for the Lions.
 
GAME 2: #1 SAINT LEO 11, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 3 (6 innings)
How it happened: Saint Leo wasted no time in game two, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Briana Neal reached on an error, moved to third on Alexis Barber's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Sydney Cline's two-out single.

The Lions then broke the game open with a four-run third. Alex Wright helped spark the inning with a leadoff single, Barber brought home the first run on a groundout, Abigail Hynes followed with an RBI single, and after Izzy LaRoche walked and Marissa Martinez reached on an error, LaRoche stole home to make it 5-0.

Nova Southeastern answered with two runs in the bottom of the third, both unearned, but Saint Leo responded with its biggest inning of the day in the fourth. Adriana Przespolewski reached on an error, Sommer Spears moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, Barber drove in a run with a single, Barber later stole home, and after a passed ball and throwing error brought in another run, LaRoche launched a two-run homer to push the lead to 10-2.

The Sharks added a run in the fifth, but Saint Leo got it back in the sixth when Cline walked, moved up on LaRoche's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Przespolewski's fielder's choice.

In the circle, Wright worked the first 3.0 innings and improved to 9-0, while Bella DiJulio, Chloe Hocquard, and Tierney Hocquard combined to close out the 11-3 win in six innings.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS – 34 game win streak
34 consecutive wins
24-0 SSC record
234 runs scored by Saint Leo
20 Home runs
.355 team batting average
.177 opponent batting average
226 strikeouts by Saint Leo pitching
1.48 team ERA
18 complete games
17 wins by Tierney Hocquard leads the team in 2026
41 career wins for Hocquard leads the team in active pitchers
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo's bye week is next weekend. The Lions return to the field for the final home regular season series hosting Lynn May 1 & 2.