Lions open up strong at home

SAINT LEO -- A bit of home cooking got Saint Leo's softball and baseball teams on winning tracks as the squads combined for five weekend victories.

The softball team swept St. Thomas 10-1 and 3-2 in Friday's home-opening doubleheader.

The baseball team improved to 7-6 by defeating Lynn three times -- 15-10 and 6-5 on Saturday, and 7-6 in 10 innings on Sunday.

In softball, senior Sabrina Price had the game-winning hit in each game. The third baseman had four hits and five RBIs in the series. Her bases-loaded triple highlighted the Lions' 10-run third inning in the first game.

Three freshmen also played prominent roles in that 10-1 win.

First baseman Wendy Geer (Brandon) had three hits, two RBIs and scored a run; second baseman Denyve Duncan (Palm Harbor University) hit two doubles, scored five times and knocked in a run; and pitcher Heather Gamlin, allowed one unearned run on three hits in five innings for the win.

Saint Leo baseball coach Ed Stabile remedied Eric Paone's rocky start by sending the junior right-hander to the bullpen. Paone, who went 0-3 with a 12.10 ERA in his first three starts, earned a win and a save as a reliever.

First baseman Trevor Hall (Countryside) led the Lions with six hits in the Lynn series. He also scored once, drove in two runs and fielded 25 chances without an error.

Bryan Melko (Springstead) and Scott Barber each had five hits. Melko scored twice and drove in four runs, while Barber had five RBIs.

Brian Sheekey contributed a three-run home run in the 6-5 win.

FIRST AWARD: Cody Clay earned the first award for the Saint Leo baseball team by being named Sunshine State Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week.

Clay, a freshman, earned the victory in Saint Leo's 6-5 win over Florida Tech on Feb. 8. In 72/3 innings of scoreless relief, Clay retired 18 straight batters, allowed one hit and struck out four with no walks.

LOSSES MOUNT: Saint Leo's struggling men's and women's basketball teams each lost twice last week.

The men's team lost a heartbreaker to Rollins 80-79 on Wednesday before Saturday's 60-47 loss to Barry. That dropped the Lions to 7-17, 1-11 in the SSC.

Saint Leo's Frank Craig (Pasco-Hernando Community College and Pasco High) averaged 18.5 points last week while teammate John Stolard averaged 16.5 points.

Losses to Rollins (67-60) and Barry (76-58) dropped the Saint Leo women's team to 8-16, 3-9 in the conference.

The Lions' Ebony Winn averaged 20 points and 10.5 rebounds in those games with teammate Lisa Cronauer contributing 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.

TIED FOR SECOND: The Pasco-Hernando Community College basketball team fell into a second-place Suncoast Conference tie with Hillsborough CC after Saturday's 84-72 loss to that team.

"It just kind of flip-flopped on us," PHCC coach Bobby Bowman said of that game in which his team blew a 41-38 halftime lead.

PHCC and Hillsborough CC have 6-4 conference records and have split the season series 2-2, but the Conquistadors have a 2-1 conference advantage.

St. Pete College, which hosts PHCC on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., is the conference leader at 8-2.

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