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Led By SSC Player Of The Year Urbanik, Saint Leo Softball Wins 3-2

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By BART O'CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 8, 2008

Behind a complete-game one-hitter by pitcher Ashley Urbanik, Saint Leo won its first game in the NCAA II South Region Softball Tournament 3-2 in eight innings against Valdosta State.

The third-seeded and national No. 24 Lions (36-13) advanced in the winners' bracket at Miami Shores, and will face seventh-seeded West Florida, a 2-1 upset winner against Alabama-Huntsville on Wednesday.
Urbanik (26-8) allowed unearned runs in the first and third before the Lions finally got the lead back on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Tatiana Casis that scored Elysha Agen in the eighth inning.
Saint Leo led 2-1 after one inning. April Slate led off with a double, scoring on an Amanda Patrick single. Patrick later scored on an Ally Maddox single.

The Blazers (48-18) had their only hit in the third, a leadoff single by Andi Braswell, who advanced to second on a passed ball and scored following a sacrifice bunt and fielder's choice.

After the Braswell hit, Urbanik retired 15 consecutive batters before a walk and a hit by pitch in the eighth. But she induced a pair of pop-ups to keep the game tied. She finished with eight strikeouts.

Agen led off the eighth with a single up the middle, followed by Slate's second hit of the game, a single down the left-field line. Patrick advanced both runners into scoring position with a groundout before Casis delivered the game-winning sacrifice to center.

The Lions are 5-0 against Valdosta State this season.

They are facing West Florida for the first time this year, and the winner will advance to the winners' bracket final Friday.

URBANIK BEST IN SSC: Urbanik was named Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year on Wednesday.

The junior from Riverview was one of the top hitters and pitchers in the conference. In the regular season she hit .315 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs, and was 25-8 with a 1.09 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 2061/3 innings on the mound.
Urbanik was one of two pitchers named to the All-SSC first team. Lions shortstop Tatiana Casis, who hit .381 with 14 homers in the regular season, also was named to the first team, and first baseman Ally Maddox and catcher Amanda Patrick made the second team.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

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