3 Saint Leo University Teams Competing For National Titles

ST. LEO, FL ­– Following weekend play, the St. Leo University Lions have three teams vying for national titles, including two first-timers -- softball and men’s lacrosse.

The Saint Leo men's lacrosse team is going to Boston for the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse Championship as the South Region representative. The No. 2 seed Saint Leo Lions upset the No. 1 seed, Lenoir-Rhyne, 12-11, in Hickory, North Carolina, on Sunday, May 20.

Thomas Tatarian built a wall around the Saint Leo cage earning 16 saves on Bears' 59 shots. His work, supported by the Lions' defense, set up the offense to clinch the South Regional title.

Kyle Pauwels and Matt Shand led the offense with three points each, both from two goals, one assist. The Green and Gold used 10 different sticks to claim the victory.

Saint Leo advances to the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse Championships at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 27, in Gillette Stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Softball heads to World Series

The Cinderella season continues as the Saint Leo softball team defeated the University of Alabama-Huntsville, 6-3, for the South Regional title Saturday, May 19, afternoon at University Softball Stadium.

Saint Leo continues to excel in the postseason after advancing out of the South 2 Regional with a 3-0 record before adding another with the first game of the South Super Regional early Friday morning. The UAH Chargers took game two Friday afternoon to force a game three, for a winner takes all Saturday morning. Saint Leo took the series 2-1 to advance to the World Series May 24-28 in Salem, Virginia.

Both teams saw an early presence on the base paths in the first inning, but neither team could score. A scoreless second frame saw the series finale head to the third tied at 0-0. After a lead-off walk in the top of the third, Auria Mounts of Bradenton got the Chargers to strikeout, fly out, and foul out to end the top half of the inning.

The Green and Gold were able to get a run across in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead after Shyanne DuBois singled through the left side scoring Kacie Kelly, of Jacksonville, from second. The Lions added another run in the fourth after scoreless top half from UAH as Bailey McKenna hit a high bouncer up the middle scoring Alexis Miniet of Tampa (Academy of Holy Names) from second.

Leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Bethany Kursch of Tampa (Gaither High) stepped to the plate looking to add to the lead. Kursch, who wanted to step up for her team saw the 1-1 pitch come, and she hit it to deep left field where it fell over the fence for a grand slam, pushing the Lions to 6-0.

UAH tried to rally and answered with a three-run homer in the top of the sixth to cut it to 6-3. Saint Leo was able to get out of the sixth with a three-run lead in tact but the Chargers wouldn't go quietly. With the bases loaded and two outs, it came down to a full count where UAH's Amber Hammonds lined it to Kacie Kelly for the final out of the game.

Saint Leo will travel to Salem, Virginia, to compete in the NCAA Division II World Series where the Lions will play as the sixth seed in the tournament. The Lions will take on the third seeded-Chico State at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24.

Men’s golf competes in national championship today

After climbing seven spots at the South/Southeast Super Regional, Saint Leo men's golf is competing at the National Championships May 21-25 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, on the par-72, 7,407-yard Fighting Joe course on Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at the Shoals.

Saint Leo sent Riley Goss, Bas Vermeulen, Simon Knutsson, Oliver Lillidahl, and Alberto Castagnara to the links to compete for the 2018 championships at 8:15 a.m. today, Monday, May 21. Saint Leo will open up play with Delta State and five individuals.

The tournament will see three days of stroke play where the top eight teams advance to the quarterfinals Thursday, May 24. After the first 54-holes, the 2018 Individual national champion will be crowned where the top eight teams will battle for the team title with medal/match play.

The last time the Green and Gold were at the national championship was 2016, and the Lions won the national championship for the first time in program history, marking the first championship in school history for a team.

Images via St. Leo