SAINT LEO, Fla. — Florida Southern College faced a challenging doubleheader against No. 2 Saint Leo University on Saturday at Mary Cannon Cabot Stadium, falling 4–3 in the first game and 3–0 in the second.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3, SAINT LEO 4
In the first game, Florida Southern opened the scoring in the first inning when
Gigi Polanco singled and advanced to third on a groundout.
Hannah Lewis reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Polanco to score on a throwing error, giving the Mocs a 1–0 lead. In the second inning, the Moccasins added another run when
Kelly Keating singled, and pinch runner
Izzy Barrios advanced to third before scoring on a single by Polanco, making it 2–0.
Saint Leo responded in the third inning as Nia DeBenedittis tripled and scored on a bunt single by Ayani Hernandez, narrowing the gap to 2–1. Florida Southern extended its lead in the sixth when
Keira Morris scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single. However, the Lions surged back with a three-run sixth inning, highlighted by Sydney Cline's RBI single and a run scoring on a throwing error, resulting in a final score of 4–3.
Polanco led the Mocs with three hits and one RBI while also scoring a run and stealing a base. Lewis contributed an RBI and successfully stole a base despite striking out twice.
Ella Torres pitched 5 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and striking out one batter, while
Des Aitken provided a scoreless inning of relief.
For Saint Leo, DeBenedittis showcased her speed and versatility with a hit, a triple, a walk, and a stolen base, scoring a run. Ayani Hernandez had two hits and one RBI, and Tierney Hocquard earned the win with effective relief pitching, allowing just one hit over two innings while striking out four batters.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 0, SAINT LEO 3
In the second game, Florida Southern struggled offensively, managing just three hits and one walk, resulting in a 3-0 defeat. The scoring began in the third inning when Saint Leo's Briana Neal singled and stole second, later scoring on an Abigail Hynes triple. Cline followed with a single to bring in another run, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead.
Saint Leo extended its lead in the sixth inning when Izzy LaRoche doubled and scored on a groundout by Nia DeBenedittis, pushing the score to 3-0. Despite efforts from the Mocs, including a single by
Gigi Polanco in the sixth and hits from
Keira Morris and
Emily Borresen in the fifth, the team could not capitalize on these opportunities.
Polanco recorded a hit in her sole at-bat, providing a spark for the lineup.
Natalie Snowden pitched a complete game for Florida Southern, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking two batters and hitting one with a pitch, bringing her record to 2-3.
For Saint Leo, Neal stood out on the base paths, successfully stealing two bases. Alex Wright pitched a complete game with five strikeouts, allowing no earned runs, while Hynes contributed an impactful triple, driving in one run and scoring once.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will face Palm Beach Atlantic on Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at Chris Bellotto Field in Lakeland, Florida.
