LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team dropped its Sunshine State Conference series opener falling 6-1 to RV Saint Leo University on Friday evening on Chris Bellotto Field.
The Moccasins (7-30, 2-17 SSC) were led by
Kate Mikle and
Emma Lucchesi both going 2-for-3, while the Lions (28-9, 13-6 SSC) had nine hits to FSC's seven as Hope Epps led the way going 2-for-3.
Florida Southern and Saint Leo took to the field as right-handed pitcher
Des Aitken (3-12) started the game with a strikeout swinging. The Mocs' defense finished the top of the inning with no damage done and headed into the bottom of the first. Mikle started the hitting with a two-out single over the second baseman's glove for the game's first hit. The Lions answered back in the top of the second hitting a one-out single to left field to earn the first hit of the game for Saint Leo. It was all the Lions could manage in the top of the inning as
Morgan Roden threw out the runner trying to steal second, sending it to the second inning.
Another two-out hit for the Mocs in the bottom of the third was sent flying just shy of being over the left field fence as
Gabby Young doubled to get into scoring position. In the top of the fifth, Saint Leo added two more hits to the scoreboard with back-to-back singles to get into scoring position with just one out. The Lions quickly took a 1-0 lead in the following at-bat, scoring from an RBI single up the middle before a passed ball made it 2-0. Florida Southern was looking for just one more out but another RBI single up the middle increased the Lions lead to 3-0 before they could get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, a Lions error allowed
Jenna Meder to reach first, and on a two-out single to left field, Lucchesi moved Meder into scoring position threatening at second base. Both runners would be stranded as the Mocs and Lions head into the sixth inning with Saint Leo leading 3-0.
The Lions continued to add on insurance runs, scoring in the top of the sixth to make it 4-0 with an RBI ground out.
Pinch hitter
Kelly Keating stepped up to bat in the bottom of the sixth leading off with a single through the left side to get the Mocs on base.
Jadyn Bushnell reentered for Keating and moved into scoring position from a single up the middle from Mikle. With just one out, designated player
Shelby Savitt hits an RBI single down the right-field line to put the Mocs on the board 4-1.
Saint Leo took back a five-run lead in the top of the seventh scoring on an RBI single to right field. Another insurance run for the Lions came home on another RBI single to right field as the Lions closed the inning 6-1. Looking to rally back in the bottom of the seventh, Lucchesi hit a one-out single over the third baseman to reach first but that was all the Mocs could manage as the first game went to Saint Leo 6-1.
Florida Southern continues Sunshine State Conference action tomorrow afternoon with the Breast Cancer Awareness doubleheader against the Lions. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
