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The Cinderella story at Saint Leo University continues as the softball team entered their first Division II College World Series game on Thursday and faced the third-seeded Chico State Wildcats. The Wildcats have one of the most potent lineups in the tournament, having a team batting average of .323 and hitting 61 home runs in 59 games going into the College World Series.
Junior Auria Mounts got the ball for the Lions but did not seem to have the control that was present throughout the year as she issued five walks in three innings of work. The Wildcats had Haley Gilham take the ball who has had an incredible season (31-3 1.19 ERA).
The scoring started early as Mounts didn’t seem to have her best control during the game. In the bottom of the first inning, Mounts walked three batters including a bases-loaded walk to junior Bailey Akins to make it a 1-0 Wildcats lead. The Lions answered back quickly as a well-executed double steal by senior Bailey McKenna stole second and freshman Brigette Soza stole home in the top of the second to even up the score at one.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth inning when the Lions scored two runs when sophomore Kacie Kelly hit a single up the middle to score senior Brittany Creamer and Morris followed up with a single up the middle of her own to score Kelly to make it 3-1. Chico State scored a run in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a homer to right field by senior Cyrena Taylor to make it a 3-2 Lions lead.
Saint Leo was able to escape bases-loaded jams in the first and third innings and forced the Wildcats to leave nine runners on base throughout the game. Senior Allison Mitts came in to relieve Mounts and threw the final four innings of one-run ball. The Lions were able to make the Wildcats uncomfortable at the plate as the Wildcats went 4 of 23 (.174 average) on the day.
The Lions won the game with a diving catch by junior Shyanne DuBois out in left field to advance to in the postseason play.
