ST. PETERSBURG – The Eckerd softball team dropped the opening game to the No. 1 ranked Saint Leo Lions on Friday by a score of 7-5.

The Lions saw runs in each of the first three innings, posting three in the first and two in the second and third. In the bottom half of the third, Ella Coiner delivered a two-run home run to put the Tritons on the board and cut the deficit to five.

Julia Heter came in to pitch in relief and kept the visitors scoreless through the final four innings of action. Eckerd posted a comeback threat in the bottom of the seventh, beginning with a Hannah Taylor two-run blast to cut the score to 7-4. Coiner followed with a triple and later came in on Abby Lucas' sac fly. Saint Leo got out of the inning to hold on to the 7-5 victory.

Games two and three will take place tomorrow.