Saint Leo University Athletics

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Briana Neal put on a show on Friday night for the top-ranked Saint Leo Lions softball team. The senior went 3-for-3 at the plate with a two home runs and recorded her 100th career walks. The top-ranked Lions fended off a late rally by Eckerd to extend the win streak to 38 with a 7-5 win. Friday's win for the 2026 Sunshine State Conference Champions tied a program record for wins in a season as its record now sits at 43-2-1 overall and 28-0 in SSC play, Eckerd falls to 32-12 overall and 20-8 in conference action.

Briana Neal led the offense with a 3-for-3 night at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Maddie Antioco and Nia DeBenedittis both had a two-hit game. Antioco drew a walk to maintain a tie for with Neal for the team lead, 27. Tierney Hocquard pitched her 15th complete game in 2026, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking four.

#1 SAINT LEO 7, ECKERD 5

• Briana Neal opened the game with a lead off home run to tie Izzy LaRoche with a team best seven home runs. Maddie Antioco and Ayani Hernandez both had RBI base hits to put the Lions up 3-0 in the first inning.
• Nia DeBenedittis led off the top of the second with a base hit as the lineup moved back to the top of the order. Neal belted her second home run in as many innings and at bats to extend the lead to 5-0. Her second home run moved her into sole possession of the team lead with eight on the season.
• With one out and two on, DeBenedittis sent a double to right center scoring Hernandez and Antioco for a 7-0 advantage. Neal came to the plate for the third time in three innings an faced two pitchers as the Tritons starter was pulled with a 2-0 count to the Lions lead off hitter. Neal drew the walk for her 100th career walk, becoming the first in program history to reach triple digit walks.
• The new Eckerd pitcher came on to hold Saint Leo to just three base runners on a two hits and a hit by pitch over the final four innings.
• The home team got on the board in the bottom of the third with a two-run shot to left field, to cut the Lions lead to 7-2.
• Eckerd threatened in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run shot to make it a 7-4 game. The Tritons third baseman hit a triple to right field putting a runner in scoring position with no outs. After a strikeout for the first out, Tierney Hocquard traded a run for an out as the home team made it a two-run game. The threat was thwarted by a ground out to end the game.
• Hocquard went the distance for the 15th time this season.  

 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS – 38 game win streak
38 consecutive wins
28-0 SSC record
260 runs scored by Saint Leo
22 Home runs
.359 team batting average
.181 opponent batting average
255 strikeouts by Saint Leo pitching
1.51 team ERA
21 complete games
19 wins by Tierney Hocquard leads the team in 2026
44 career wins for Hocquard leads the team in active pitchers
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo and Eckerd return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon to close out the regular season. Game one of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. in St. Petersburg.