SAINT LEO, Fla. (Feb.8) – The Tigers trailed 2-1 through four innings, but runs in each of the final four frames by Saint Leo University were too much to overcome in an 11-1 loss Sunday night at the Thomas B. Southard Stadium.
The Salem International University baseball team falls to 0-6 overall this season, with all its games played against schools receiving votes in the preseason Collegiate Baseball poll. Meanwhile, the Lions improve to 6-0 overall this season and have outscored their opponents 68-14 in those contests.
After two scoreless frames, Saint Leo scored the game's first two runs in the third inning to claim the lead. The Tigers slashed the lead in half, 2-1, when junior
Nicco Lollio (Carleton, Mich./Airport) led the fourth inning off with a double, advanced to third and scored on a pair of ground outs.
The Lions extended their lead to 5-1 in the fifth with a three-run home run and tacked on six more in the final three frames to wrap-up a sweep of Salem International.
Junior
Charles Atherton (Newark, Ohio/Mount Vernon) took the loss on the mound for the Tigers. Atherton (0-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out one in three innings of work.
Junior centerfielder
Joe Drago (Albany, Ind./Delta) and junior catcher
Rahul Badve (Mississauga, Ontario/Woodlands Secondary) each collected a pair of hits in the game. Drago now leads the team in hitting after going 5-for-12 (.417) in the three-game set.
GAME 2SAINT LEO, Fla. (Feb.7) – Freshman pitcher
Kevin Ortiz-Arroyo (Orlando, Fla./Cypress Creek) limited Saint Leo to two runs over seven innings, but the offense only mustered two hits in the Tigers 5-0 loss to the Lions Saturday night at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.
The Salem International University baseball team (0-5) surrendered runs in the first two innings, but Ortiz-Arroyo settled in and limited Saint Leo (5-0) to three hits over the next five innings.
The Lions extended their lead to 5-0 with three more runs in the eighth and held the Tigers to just five baserunners for the game.
Ortiz-Arroyo (0-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits, with four strikeouts and two walks. Liam O'Sullivan (2-0) earned the win for the Lions with a complete game shutout, limiting the Salem offense to two hits, while striking out 13 batters.
Drago and sophomore third baseman
Trent Dalton (Logan, W.Va./Logan) each tallied a base-hit for the Tigers in the loss.
GAME 1SAINT LEO, Fla. (Feb.6) -- Salem International could not overcome eight errors and were dealt a 15-1 loss by Saint Leo Friday night at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.
The Tigers allowed six-unanswered runs before breaking through in the fifth inning behind three two-out hits. Dalton connected on a double, advanced to third on a single by junior second baseman
Jeff Apigo (Federal Way, Wash./Todd Beamer), and scored on a RBI-single by Drago.
Saint Leo continued to tack onto its lead with three runs in the fifth and two in the eighth to earn the victory. The Lions finished with 17 hits, including three from freshman Lane Stancil, who finished the contest with a home run and five RBI.
Freshman pitcher
Dolan Kunkel (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Centennial Collegiate) took the loss on the mound for the Tigers. Kunkel (0-2) allowed 13 runs (seven earned) on 15 hits with two strikeouts.
The Tigers are back in action this Friday, Feb. 13, when they travel to Due West S.C. for a three-game series with Erskine College. Salem and Erskine will play a single game Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. and conclude the series with a doubleheader the following day, starting at noon.
