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Softball Opens With 2 Losses

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By BART O'CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 7, 2009

This was not the kind of start to the season Saint Leo softball coach Christi Wade had in mind.

The Lions, tabbed the No. 16 team in the nation in a preseason poll, lost their first two games Thursday - 8-3 to Cameron University and 7-6 to Tarleton State - in the 2009 College Classic at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.

Senior pitcher Ashley Urbanik took the loss in both games, giving up seven earned runs in six innings. It took her 11 games and 58 innings before she allowed her seventh earned run last year.

Tatiana Casis was a bright spot, hitting .571 with a homer and three runs scored in the doubleheader.

The tournament continued Friday, as Saint Leo played Eastern New Mexico and Texas Women's University in games that were not complete by press time. Today it faces Angelo State in the tournament finale, and debut at home Wednesday against Webber International.

WOMEN'S TENNIS LOSES OPENER: The Saint Leo women's tennis squad lost 6-3 to nationally ranked Florida Southern on Thursday in its season opener.

The Lions led 2-1 after doubles play, as the teams of Taylor Cleaves and Jeanette MacDonald, and Lina Benkirane and Asmaa Tazi won their matches. But the Lions won just one of their six singles matches, leading to defeat. Cleaves was the lone singles winner in the No. 3 match.
Saint Leo had a match scheduled for Friday at Palm Beach Atlantic, and also plays today at Barry before the home opener Friday against Northwood.

ROLLINS ENDS STREAK: The men's basketball team's five-game win streak ended Wednesday with a 75-67 loss at Rollins, dropping Saint Leo to 12-11, 5-5 in Sunshine State Conference play.

The Lions shot just 34.7 percent from the field, precipitated by an effort to score from the 3-point line. While guards Quentin Cullop and Matthew Salay both scored 20 points and shot nearly 50 percent from long range, interior threats Jordan Prais and Kyle Rowland combined for only 15 points. Saint Leo did outrebound Rollins 41-37.
Saint Leo is tied for fifth in the SSC standings with Tampa, which would win a tiebreaker for that spot if the tournament began today. The Lions face Florida Tech today at 4 in the Bowman Center, and will travel to Florida Southern Wednesday.

WOMEN'S HOOPS IN PINK: The Saint Leo women's basketball team's (9-11, 1-9) Feb. 18 game against the University of Tampa will be a part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Pink Zone initiative. Donations will be accepted and money raised will go to the Kay Yow Foundation, named in honor of the North Carolina State coach who died last month from complications relating to breast cancer.

Saint Leo's goal is to raise $1,000 from the event. Breast cancer survivors will be given free admission, as well as recognition at halftime.

Correspondent Bart O'Connell

can be reached at

tampasport@gmail.com.

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