MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers closed out the regular season with a doubleheader split against the Saint Leo Lions, losing 6-2 in game one, but bouncing back to run-rule the Lions 12-4 in five innings in the finale. The split gives the Bucs the win in the Sunshine State Conference softball series.
GAME ONE
The Lions (29-21, 11-13 SSC) broke open a tight ball game with five runs in the seventh inning to win 6-2.
Chelsey Steedley gave the Lions a 1-0 lead in the third inning with a leadoff homer off Barry starter Taylor Sabol (8-9).
The Bucs (27-20, 10-13 SSC) got the lead back in the fourth. Kelly Martinez led off with a double. After a sacrifice, the Bucs tried a squeeze play with Alexis Kent, but the Lions got Martinez at the plate. Camille Czarnecki followed with a two-run homer.
But in the seventh inning, the Lions got to Sabol. Mackenzie Burns beat out a bunt single and stole second. Sabol got a strikeout and a fly out, but then Angela Kafalas blasted a two-run shot to left. The Lions then piled on. Cassie Boggs and Steedley singled. Torrie Weindorf had a two-run double. Rachael Heath had an RBI single to chase Sabol. Adriana Sanders then had a single off Czarnecki, but Kayla Ogle threw out Heath at the plate.
The Bucs went in order in the bottom of the inning to Ashley Ehlers (14-5). She picked up the win with the complete game. She allowed two runs on four hits and a walk and struck out five. Sabol took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk.
GAME TWO
The Bucs exploded for 12 runs in the rubber game, aided by five Lion errors, to win by the run rule in five innings.
Barry got started in the first inning. Ogle singled down the left field line and Megan Copeland beat out a bunt single. After they moved up to second and third on a ground out by Martinez, Sanders tried to pick Ogle off at third and threw the ball away, allowing both runs to score.
The Lions came back in the second. Sarah Steiner and Kafalas singled to start off. Steiner was erased on a fielder’s choice, but Steedley belted her second homer of the day, a three-run shot to left.
The wheels came off in the bottom of the second for the Lions. Czarnecki led off with a single and went to second on an error by Kafalas. Christal Cruz came in to run and went to third on a wild pitch by Lion starter Alana Tabel (5-8). Kristina Pazienza drove in Cruz with a single to right. Cheyanne Head laid down a sacrifice, but was safe on an error by Heath. Hunter Mars had a bunt single to score Pazienza, but Head was thrown out trying to stretch it to third. Ogle and Copeland walked to load the bases and Martinez again laid down a bunt. But Steiner, who had come in to pitch for Tabel threw the ball away at the plate to allow Mars to score and Ogle followed her in. Czarnecki bounced a two-run single up the middle for a 9-3 lead.
After the Lions plated a run in the third on back-to-back doubles by Brittany Ewing and Steiner, the Bucs scored three in the bottom of the inning and held on over the final six outs to end the game. Head walked and stole second. Ogle followed with a single to center, sending Head to third, and also swiped second. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch by reliever Jaclyn Amato and Copeland drew a walk. Martinez followed with a double to left center to score two runs.
Tabel took the loss. She allowed seven runs (four earned) in 1.2 innings, on six hits and two walks. Czarnecki (11-5) got the win in relief of Britney Pugh. Czarnecki worked the final 2.2 innings, holding Saint Leo to one hit and two walks.
Czarnecki also led the Bucs at the plate with four hits, including her second homer of the season, and drove in four. Copeland had three hits, walked twice and scored three runs. Ogle also scored three, while Martinez, who had two doubles, drove in two.
(04/26/14 at Miami Shores, FL)
Saint Leo 6, Barry 2 (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Leo........... 001 000 5 - 6 8 1 (29-20, 11-12 SSC)
Barry................... 000 200 0 - 2 4 0 (26-20, 9-13 SSC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Saint Leo - Ashley Ehlers and Adriana Sanders; Christina Lodato. Barry - Taylor Sabol; Camille Czarnecki(7) and Alexis Kent.
Win-Ashley Ehlers(14-5) Loss-Taylor Sabol(8-9) T-1:44
HR Saint Leo - Angela Kafalas (2); Chelsey Steedley (3).
HR BARRY - Camille Czarnecki (2).
Weather: lucent
Barry 12, Saint Leo 4 (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Leo........... 031 00 - 4 10 5 (29-21, 11-13 SSC)
Barry.................... 273 0X - 12 10 1 (27-20, 10-13 SSC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Saint Leo - Alana Tabel; Sarah Steiner(2); Jaclyn Amato(3); Ashley Ehlers(4) and Adriana Sanders; Christina Lodato. Barry - Britney Pugh; Camille Czarnecki(3) and Alexis Kent.
Win-Camille Czarnecki(11-5) Loss-Alana Tabel(5-8) T-2:00 A-136
HR SLS - Chelsey Steedley (4).
Weather: phosphorescent
Tabel faced 1 batter in the 3rd.