MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers walked off with a wild 9-8 win over the Saint Leo Lions in the opener of their Sunshine State Conference softball series at Buccaneer Field on Friday night.
Trailing 8-7 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Cheyanne Head got the rally started for the Bucs (26-19, 9-12 SSC) with a soft popup that landed right behind the pitching circle in between four Lions (28-20, 10-12 SSC). Hunter Mars followed with a walk and Kayla Ogle beat out an infield single to load the bases. Megan Copeland drew a four-pitch walk from Jaclyn Amato (0-1) to tie the game and Mars scored the game winner on a ground ball by Kelly Martinez.
The Bucs put up a five-run second inning to take the early lead. Trailing 1-0, the Bucs loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Ogle beat out another infield hit to tie the game. Head scored on a fielder’s choice by Copeland that left the bases loaded. Julie Brito then slammed a three-run double to right center for a 5-1 lead.
The Lions chipped back, scoring two in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth to tie the game at 7-7. In the top of the seventh, Saint Leo took an 8-7 lead off Barry’s Camille Czarnecki (10-5). Rachael Heath beat out a bunt single, but was erased on an incredible play by the Bucs’ middle infield. Head dove to stop a ball going up the middle and flipped to Martinez at second who laid out but held the bag for the force. Unfortunately, Czarnecki walked Mackensie Burns, Brittany Ewing and Sarah Steiner to force in the run.
Czarnecki pitched three innings in relief of Britney Pugh to earn the win. She allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks and struck out two. Amato, the third Lion pitcher, took the loss. She allowed two runs on two hits and three walks and struck out one.
Ogle went 4-for-5 to pace the Buccaneer offense. Mars was 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two RBI. Brito drove in three on that second-inning double and Copeland drove in two.
The series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader at noon.
(04/25/14 at Miami Shores, FL)
Barry 9, Saint Leo 8
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Saint Leo........... 012 130 1 - 8 10 2 (28-20, 10-12 SSC)
Barry................... 050 020 2 - 9 9 2 (26-19, 9-12 SSC)
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Pitchers: Saint Leo - Alana Tabel; Sarah Steiner(4); Jaclyn Amato(5) and Adriana Sanders. Barry - Britney Pugh; Camille Czarnecki(5) and Alexis Kent.
Win-Camille Czarnecki(10-5) Loss-Jaclyn Amato(0-1) T-2:49 A-529
Weather: wicked hot
Tabel faced 1 batter in the 4th.
Pugh faced 1 batter in the 5th.
Tabel faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Game: SB0425