SAINT LEO, Fla. – The King University softball team dropped a pair of road nonconference contests at 22nd-ranked Saint Leo University on Thursday evening. The Lions took game one 9-0 before coming back to defeat the Tornado 9-8 with four runs in the seventh inning of game two.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #22 Saint Leo 9, King 0; #22 Saint Leo 9, King 8
LOCATION: University Softball Field; Saint Leo, Fla.
RECORDS: King 12-8; Saint Leo 22-3
KING HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- After King went down in order in the top of the first, Saint Leo scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning, one a fielder's choice and two on a single from Madyson Coe.
- The Lions added three runs in the second on a wild pitch and two groundouts to take a 6-0 lead.
- Deel started the third inning with a double for the Tornado, but the Lions retired the next three batters to end the inning.
- A Tornado miscue allowed another run to score in the fifth before a Coe two-out, two-run single ended the game, giving Saint Leo the 9-0 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Kayla Betts (10-0) 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Losing Pitcher: Nikole Counts (0-4) 4.0 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The Tornado got off to a hot start, with two baserunners in the first three batters.
- Tinsley Thompson then drove in Jessica Campbell with a single before a Camryn Haag single scored Turner.
- A Deel sacrifice fly scored Thompson and gave King a 3-0 lead.
- However, Saint Leo took the lead with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning.
- Following back-to-back singles from Lauren Lawson and Campbell, Turner came up with a two-out single to even the score at four.
- King regained the lead with four runs in the fourth inning. Haylee Dye plated the first run with a single before another Turner single plated another.
- The third Saint Leo error of the inning scored two more, giving King an 8-4 lead.
- The Lions used a pair of hit by pitches to load the bases and push one run across in the bottom of the inning, but Savana Luper got a groundout to end the threat, keeping King ahead 8-5.
- Saint Leo had a pair of two-out baserunners in the sixth inning, but Madison Walter came up with a strikeout to end the inning.
- In the seventh, the Lions loaded the bases with three straight hits before the Tornado got the first out, cutting down a run at the plate.
- However, another single scored a pair and pulled Saint Leo within one.
- An error allowed the tying run to score before another single gave Saint Leo the 9-8 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Kayla Swinson (4-2) 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher: Madison Walter (3-3) 2.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Coe drove in four on two hits in game one and posted two hits in game two.
- Briana Neal drove in two on two hits in game two and scored twice in game one.
- Alexandra Hare scored twice in each game and drove in two in game two.
UP NEXT
- King is in action again on Saturday and Sunday at Nova Southeastern University. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and Sunday's single game is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
- Saint Leo hosts Lee University on Saturday.
