Baseball | 3/6/2004 11:11:00 AM

Box Score ST. LEO, FL - The Barry University baseball team fell to the Lions of Saint Leo 5-4 earlier tonight in an SSC match-up at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.

Saint Leo struck first with sophomore shortstop Jeff Germano launching a solo round-tripper in his first at bat, putting the Lions on the board. The Lions plated another run in the second, and then junior third baseman Danny Prevatt's homered in the third with a man on put the Lions up 4-0.
However, the Barry bats began to get hot in the fifth when freshman right-fielder Jesse Naber doubled off of the centerfield wall scoring two Buccaneer runners and closing in on Saint Leo's lead by a score of 4-2.

After another Lion homer, this time by Senior Derrick McNeil the Buccaneers began to mount a late-inning rally scoring two more in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Lions lead to 5-4. Then in the ninth the Bucs looked like they had tied the game when Senior Keith Barton got a hold of a Brandon Webb fastball and launched it to dead centerfield. It was all for not though as Saint Leo centerfielder Chris Germano tracked it down at the wall ending the Buccaneer threat.

Both starting pitchers threw seven complete innings with Saint Leo righty Dan Hawkins picking up the win, his second of the season. Bucs starter Alex Gonzalez (4-1) suffered the loss. Freshman Brandon Webb closed out the game for the Lions and picked up his fourth save so far this season.

Naber was the Bucs top offensive player on the night going 2 for 3 with two RBI's and 1 run scored.

The Bucs and Lions complete the three game series tomorrow afternoon with a double-header beginning at noon.