MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—Brianna Smith tossed her third straight shutout and also homered to lead the 11th-ranked Barry Buccaneers to an 8-0, five-inning win over the Saint Leo Lions in the rubber game of their Sunshine State Conference softball series at Buccaneer Field on Saturday. Saint Leo took the middle game of the series 7-5.
Brianna Smith (11-3) tossed a three-hit shutout, her third straight, and hit a two-run homer to lead the Bucs to an 8-0 win in five innings in the rubber game of the series. Smith allowed singles in the first, third and fifth innings and walked one, while striking out six.
The Bucs (22-5, 5-1 SSC) scored twice in the first on Jessica Tabor’s two-run single. They tacked on five runs in the fourth. Amber Durkin led off with a bunt single and stole second. Kelly Martinez drove a double into the left-centerfield gap to plate the run. Sarah Broeseker singled to put runners at the corner and Grace Collins delivered a two-run double. Collins came around on a two-out homer down the right field line by Smith. Durkin, who led off the fifth with a triple to center, scored on a ground ball by Broeseker to complete the win.
Megan Still (6-8) was hammered for seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and a walk in 3.2 innings.
Brittany Yates blasted a grand-slam home run in the sixth inning off Alexis Yohe to lead the Lions (15-13, 2-3 SSC) to a 7-5 win over the Bucs in the opening game on Saturday.
Racelle Gremo had given the Lions a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a home run to left center, but the Bucs rallied to take a 5-2 lead prior to Yates’ heroics.
The Bucs tied it at 2-2 in the third on RBI by Tabor and Durkin and Alyssa Goldsmith gave Barry a 4-2 lead with a two-run double in the fourth. Broeseker added an RBI double in the fifth.
Yohe (8-2) took the loss, surrendering seven runs (six earned) on seven hits. She walked four and struck out four. April Ehlers (3-1) got the win in relief of Kristen Kelley. Ehlers allowed a run on four hits in 3.2 innings and struck out two.
The Bucs stranded 12 runners in the game, pounding Kelley for 10 hits and two walks in 3.1 innings.
The Bucs host the Lions of Molloy College on Thursday, Mar. 15 in a twinbill starting at 4:00 pm. Live stats and an audio broadcast are available through GameCentral on GoBarryBucs.com.
(03/10/12 at Miami Shores, FL)
Saint Leo 7, Barry 5 (Game 1)
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Saint Leo........... 200 004 1 - 7 7 0 (15-12, 2-3 SSC)
Barry................. 002 210 0 - 5 14 1 (21-5, 4-1 SSC)
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Pitchers: Saint Leo - Kristen Kelly; Ashley Ehlers(4) and Brittany Yates. Barry - Alexis Yohe and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Ashley Ehlers(3-1) Loss-Alexis Yohe(8-2) T-1:55
HR SLU - Brittany Yates (3); Rachelle Gremo (2).
Barry 8, Saint Leo 0 (Game 2)
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Saint Leo........... 000 00 - 0 3 2 (15-13, 2-4 SSC)
Barry................. 200 51 - 8 11 1 (22-5, 5-1 SSC)
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Pitchers: Saint Leo - Megan Still; Ashley Ehlers(4) and Brittany Yates. Barry - Brianna Smith and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Brianna Smith(11-3) Loss-Megan Still(6-8) T-1:10 A-77
HR BUS - Brianna Smith (2).
Weather: irriguous