ST. AUGUSTINE – No. 17 (NFCA Division II Top 25) Saint Leo University swept a season-opening non-conference doubleheader from Flagler College, 3-1 and 11-1, Wednesday evening at Flagler Field.
In the opener, Stephanie Adkins (1-0) tossed a three-hitter and fanned seven for the Lions. She retired seven on fly outs and another six on ground outs.
Alyssa Wash socked a solo home run over the left field wall in the third to give Saint Leo an early lead. In the sixth inning, Ciera Schumaker drew a two-out walk and then scored when the next two batters hit singles. Brittany Creamer's single to center plated Schumaker with the eventual game-winning run.
Flagler got on the board in the home half of the sixth when
Whitney Woodard belted a 1-1 pitch to left for her first home run of the season. That would be all of the offense the Saints could muster.
Sommer Pollard hit an RBI-single for the Lions in the seventh. She had two singles in the opener. Amanda James hit two singles and drew a walk while Wash added a single to her home run.
Katelynn Smith (0-1) went the distance in the circle for Flagler. She scattered eight hits, allowed three runs and walked four batters.
Mackenzie Conley hit a double and
Maddy Murphy hit a single.
In the second game, the Lions pounded out 10 hits to roll to an 11-1 win.
Allison Mitts (1-0) worked the first four innings and allowed one unearned run and scattered three hits. She walked three batters and struck out one. Sara Neuman tossed three scoreless innings to earn the save. She allowed only one hit and struck out another.
All the scoring the Lions pitchers needed came in the second inning when Schumaker belted a two-run home run to right-center. She finished the second game with four runs batted in.
They added two more in the third and one in the fourth before Bailey McKenna hit a two-run home run to give Saint Leo a 7-1 lead. She had a single and scored a run earlier.
The Lions added four more in the seventh.
Rachael Heath collected a pair of singles, scored a run and drove in another.
Freshman lefty
Ally Marcano (0-1) tossed 3 1/3 innings and surrendered only three hits, but allowed four runs. She walked six batters and struck out four.
Callie Reed and
Tracy Caccavale finished up the game.
The Saints scored an unearned run in the fourth inning. After
Alli-Ann Bigale reached on an error by Saint Leo's first baseman,
Tatum Morgan grounded to third and Bigale was forced out at second base. Morgan moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a ground out.
Morgan Murphy drove her home with a double to right-center. Murphy went 2-for-3 with that double and an RBI.
Whitney Woodard hit a double for the Saints and
Garland Evans had a base hit.
Flagler will travel to Columbus, Georgia this weekend and will face four teams from the Gulf South Conference. On Saturday, the Saints take on Lee University at 4 p.m. and after they will face Shorter University at 6:30 p.m. Flagler will play two more game on Sunday.
