WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team concluded its series against No. 11 Saint Leo at home on Saturday.
The Sailfish took the first game of the day to clinch the conference series against the Lions after
Abbey Busby tossed her third complete-game shutout of the season, leading to a 3-0 Sailfish win. PBA nearly swept the day, but Saint Leo's offense awoke in the latter innings of game two to lead the Lions to a 5-1 win.
PBA is scheduled to travel to Nova Southeastern for a doubleheader on Thursday. First pitch in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Game One: PBA 3, Saint Leo 0
Game one on Saturday nearly mirrored game one from Thursday's doubleheader. The game was scoreless through the first four innings of action as the Lions had no answer for Busby in the circle. PBA managed to get runners on base in three of the first four frames, but those runners were left stranded.
The 'Fish finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. PBA started the inning with a
Taylor Pennica walk and a bunt single from
Hayley Haas. A wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out which set up a two-RBI triple by
Faith Allen. She scored the next play after a sacrifice fly by
Katherine Budnovich which gave PBA a 3-0 lead.
That was plenty of run support for Busby who finished with no runs in seven innings pitched with three hits, one walk and nine strikeouts, tying for the second-most in her career. She finished the week with a total of 14 shutout innings against the Lions. The 'Fish totaled five hits in the game.
Game Two: Saint Leo 5, PBA 1
The Sailfish struggled offensively in the second game, but PBA did manage to push across the first run of the game thanks to some shoddy Lions defense. With two outs in the third inning,
Briana Rodriguez reached on an error, then swiped second base. Allen reached on an error on the next play that allowed Rodriguez to make it home to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
That was all the Sailfish offense could produce in the game, outside of a
Meredith Milam double in the second inning which was PBA's only hit of the game. It seemed like the 'Fish were going to steal a victory, but Saint Leo's offense heated up in the later innings.
Cambria Arturo got the start in the circle for the 'Fish. She held SLU scoreless through four innings, but finished with five runs, with only three earned, with 11 hits and six strikeouts.
The Lions loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with no outs. Arturo seemed like she was going to escape unscathed after forcing a pop out and a strikeout. Unfortunately for PBA, SLU took a 3-1 lead after a bases-clearing double. The visitors tacked on two more runs in the sixth on four hits and one Sailfish error.
