Saint Leo, Fla. – With the 2013 season winding down Lynn University's Baseball team split a doubleheader with Sunshine State Conference opponent Saint Leo on Sunday. The Fighting Knights needed extra innings to defeat the Lions 5-4 in the first game before dropping the rubber match 10-6, despite Enrique Perez recording a 5-for-5 performance.  Lynn returns home with a 30-17 record and 13-8 mark in the SSC.

In similar fashion to the previous day, Saint Leo (31-14-1, 11-9-1 SSC) got on the scoreboard first in the opening inning with an unearned run. The Lions added another run in the fourth.

Lynn found its offense punch in the sixth inning, scoring three runs on four hits to take their first lead of the series. Perez started off the frame getting hit by a pitch, Alex Freedman followed with a single and Jason Matusik gave LU its first run of the day with a double.  The two runners on base both found home plate off a Sal Giardina single. 

Saint Leo tied the game in the seventh, but Lynn quickly retook the lead in the eighth. Giardina recorded another single and was able to find his way home off a Paul Stortini single. 

Jed Vandernaald continued his recent dominance on the mound, fanning an average of one batter per inning over seven frames. Andrew Melchor picked up the win for Lynn, entering in the eighth inning and closing out the game. On the offensive side Giardina and Stortini each had two hits while Giardina brought two runners home.

Lynn rode the momentum from the previous game into the series finale, scoring a run in the opening inning. Perez started the game with his first of five hits and Giardina brought him home with a single to center field.

Scoreless for the next five frames, Lynn added to the lead in the fourth inning. Corey Elasik led off with a single, and advanced on a Mike Gonzalez sac bunt. Chris Piperno singled up the middle to help his fellow senior score, and scored when Freedman took a shot deep down the right field line to put Lynn up 3-0.  Saint Leo would respond in the bottom of the inning taking the lead 4-3.

The Fighting Knights were able to briefly retake the lead in the fifth, but the Lions scored six times over the final two innings to take the series.
  
Besides being perfect from the plate, Perez added two runs batted in.  Freedman and Elasik also provided some offense with two hits and an rbi. Six different pitchers saw the mound for Lynn in the final game, with game one starter Joe Perrotta making a rare appearance in relief.

The 2013 regular season comes to end when Lynn travels to Tampa, Fla., on May 4 for a SSC series with Tampa. Fans can keep up with the action by following @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.