WINTER PARK, Fla. – Rollins softball fell in game three of its series against Saint Leo on Friday afternoon, dropping an 8-5 decision at MLK Jr. Park.
Game Three – Saint Leo 8, Rollins 5
The Lions struck first, using a pair of hits to plate a run and take an early 1-0 lead.
Rollins answered immediately.
Isabella Golas led off with a base hit and moved to third on a single from
Rachel Matthiesen.
Madi Carr put the ball in play to bring Golas home and even the score at one.
Saint Leo regained the lead in the second, capitalizing on a Rollins error and a base hit to go up 2-1. Once again, the Tars responded.
Kaeli Zahradnik launched a solo home run over the left-field wall to tie the game at two.
Brooke Theisen and
Makayla Layton each added hits later in the inning, but both were stranded, keeping the game knotted heading into the third.
Rollins held the Lions scoreless in the top of the third before Carr delivered the big swing in the bottom half, ripping a solo home run to left to give the Tars their first lead of the day at 3-2. Saint Leo matched it in the next frame with a solo shot of its own to even the score at three.
Jenna Borkey sparked another opportunity in the fourth, beating out an infield single and swiping both second and third to put herself 60 feet away. The Tars were unable to bring her home, and the game remained tied.
The Lions broke the deadlock with another solo home run to take a 4-3 lead, then added two more runs later in the inning to stretch the advantage to 6-3.
Matthiesen drew a walk to open the bottom of the fifth, with
Lucy McLogan entering as a pinch runner. Carr delivered again, blasting her second home run of the afternoon to pull Rollins within one at 6-5.
Saint Leo responded in the sixth with a solo homer to extend the lead to 7-5 and later added a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5. That margin held into the final frame.
Cambrie Todd singled in the bottom of the seventh to give the Tars one last spark, but the Lions worked out of the inning to secure the 8-5 victory.
Rollins returns to action Monday, March 2, hosting No. 14 Saginaw Valley State for a 4 p.m. / 6 p.m. doubleheader in Winter Park.
