Lightning grasp crucial win from River Rats
By: Laura Kubitz
SANFORD-In the first game of the playoffs, the Leesburg Lightning picked up a crucial win against the Sanford River Rats, 5-1, on Friday.
After a rained out game on Thursday, the Lightning traveled to Sanford instead of playing at home, but the Lightning fans came out and showed their support by cheering, banging drums and ringing cowbells.
Evan Taylor (Lenoir Rhyne) went four for four with an RBI-double, two RBI-singles and a homerun. That solo homerun to left field came in the second inning to put the Lightning ahead, 1-0. Mike Albaladejo (FAU) went two for four with a double and RBI-single.
Clutch hitting was the name of the game for the Lightning. All five RBIs came after two outs.
"When you talk about small things in a game making a difference, it's those two out hits," said Lightning manager Frank Viola. "Evan Taylor dictated the whole ball game with that hit in the second inning. He had a magnificent overall ballgame."
Kyle Wahl (Southern) got the win working six innings, striking out two and giving up one earned run.
"He made the pitches when he needed to and the defense made the plays behind him when he needed them too," Viola said.
In the fifth, Taylor doubled and advanced to third on a Chris Berset (Michigan) fielder's choice. Albaladejo singled to get his second hit of the night and to score Taylor.
The Lightning deepened their lead in the sixth scoring two more runs. After two outs, Trace Venegas (Santa Fe College) singled and advanced to second on a Michael Dufek (Michigan) walk. Taylor drove in Venegas on a single and Berset finished the job scoring Dufek on another single, putting the Lightning ahead, 4-0.
In the sixth, an Antonio Clark (Florida State College) lead off walk led to the River Rats' first run of the game. Clark stole second and after two outs Craig Manuel (Florida State College) singled to center field to bring home Clark.
Both Nick DelGuidice (FAU) and Trae Gore (Florida Southern) got their first hits of the night in the eighth with two singles in a row. Again after two outs, Taylor singled to left center to bring home DelGuidice and picked up some insurance for the Lightning.
"We really have the whole bullpen left for the next couple of days if we need too," Viola said. "We are in a good situation tomorrow. We just need to establish a strike zone, play good defense and hope we score enough runs."
The Lightning will host the River Rats today at 7 p.m. for the second game of the playoff series.
"I hope all the city of Leesburg is there to enjoy it and I think that will motivate the boys a lot," Viola said.
Rats topple Lightning on record setting night
By: Laura Kubitz
SANFORD- The Sanford River Rats toppled the Leesburg Lightning, 10-8, to end the regular season for both teams.
The River Rats rotated through six pitchers and the Lightning went through seven, but it was Nick Wilson (Lake Sumter CC) who got the win pitching three and two third innings, striking out two and allowing one hit.
Mark Stewart (SCAD) left his mark in the Florida Collegiate Summer League record book by being the first to play every position on the diamond. Stewart started out at second, moved to second, went to first in the third inning, caught in the fourth, moved to center field in the fifth, went to right field and pitched in the sixth, moved to left field in the seventh and to third base in the eighth.
In the first, Michael Dufek (Michigan) singled to right field and advanced to second on another Nick Aranas (USC-Aiken) single to right field and scored on yet another Chris Berset (Michigan) single, putting the Lightning ahead, 1-0.
Alex Hudak (Stetson) blasted a double to the right field warning track and advanced to third on a Stewart sacrifice fly. Hudak then raced home on a wild pitch to put the Lightning up, 2-0.
But the Lightning wouldn't hold onto the lead very long.
The River Rats rallied in the second to take the lead from the Lightning. David Schulze (Samford) began with a lead off single and scored on a sacrifice bunt. Jay Moroff (Eckerd) recorded a run on a Trey Hayes (Samford) RBI-single and Joseph Cuda (Eckerd) scored on an Antonio Clark (FL CC at Jacksonville) fielder's choice. The rally continued when Hank Patterson (High Point) reached home on another wild pitch and Clark plated on a Jordan Yost (West Virginia) RBI-single.
In the fourth, Mike Albaladejo (FAU) singled, advanced to second on an Hudak single and reached third on a double play. Albaladejo was ready to score one for the Lightning, but Moroff fired the ball to first base to record the third out, stranding Albaladejo.
In the fifth, the Lightning answered the River Rats. A Danny Baatz (UNC-Asheville) lead off walk began the rally. Baatz reached home on a double by Nick DelGuidice (FAU), and DelGuidice moved into scoring position on an error. The Lightning tied it up, 5-5, on a two-run homerun to right center by Michael Dufek (Michigan).
The River Rats pulled ahead, 7-5, in the fifth on an RBI-double to bring home Schulze and Simmons.
The Lightning put one on the board in the sixth on a Dufek sacrifice fly to left field, leaving the score, 7-6.
In the sixth, Hayes scored on a Yost sacrifice fly to right field and Craig Manuel (Rice) knocked one out of the park, to put the River Rats ahead, 9-6.
The River Rats picked up some insurance in the seventh on an RBI-double to score Cuda, leaving the score, 10-6.
In the ninth, the Lightning didn't go out quietly. Chris Berset (Michigan) hammered the ball out of the park and Albaladejo scored on a Hudak double, but the River Rats maintained the lead, 10-8.
Any Lightning fans that to wish to travel to the first playoff game against Sanford should meet at Pat Thomas Stadium before 5 p.m. From there, fans will carpool to the game, which starts at 7 p.m. For any questions or concerns, contact John Brandeburg at 352-406-7568.
Lightning split double header with Mavericks
By: Laura Kubitz
LEESBURG- The Leesburg Lightning fell to the Clermont Mavericks, 6-1, in the second game of a double header after shutting down the Mavericks, 10-0 in the first game.
It was the first time the Lightning has split a double header all season.
The Mavericks out hit the Lightning with 12 hits to two in the second game. Ryan Bouton (Wake Forest) started for the Mavericks working four innings and striking out the same, but Charley Short (Barry) got the win contributing to a no-hitter in the last five innings of the game.
Ben Scheffer (Florida Tech) went three for five with two base hits and an RBI-double.
This was the last game the Lake County rivals will play against one another pending the results of the playoffs. The Mavericks won the season series against the Lightning, 5-4.
In the second, Bryan Hill (Lake Sumter CC) singled to left center to bring home Scheffer and in the third, Alex Hudak scored on a sacrifice fly by Mike Albaladejo (FAU) to tie up the game, 1-1.
After a walk and a double, the Mavericks made a smart decision intentionally walking Alex Hudak (Stetson) and loading up the bases on one out. Evan Taylor (Lenoir Rhyne) was forced out at home and Danny Baatz (UNC-Asheville) was out on a line drive to first base to keep the score tied in the fourth.
In the sixth, Tim Dye (undecided) singled down the right field line to advance Nathan Hartman (Santa Fe College) home, putting the Mavericks ahead, 2-1.
The Mavericks picked up momentum in the seventh. Tyrone Wethers (New Orleans) singled down the right field line and was brought home on a triple to right center by Hartman. The rally continued as Ryan Seminuk (Wake Forest) stepped up to deliver a double to left field to easily advance Hartman home.
Derek Abis (Jacksonville) started out the ninth with the dreaded leadoff walk. Wethers followed suit and Tyler Benzel (Louisiana Lafayette) singled to load up the bases. Scheffer stepped up to deliver a double to left center to bring home Abis and Wethers.
The Lightning shut out the Mavericks in the first game of the double header, 10-0.
Nick Aranas (USC Aiken) continued his eight-game hitting streak with two singles and Nick DelGuidice (FAU) went three for four with three singles. Lindsey Caughel (Stetson) got his first win pitching four innings, striking out five and allowing three hits.
In the first inning, the Lightning scored seven runs off of Kellen St. Luce, (Vanderbilt) good enough to be the second highest amount of runs they have scored in a single inning this year. The Lightning scored eight runs in the sixth inning to contribute to a, 13-6, win against the Mavericks on June 17. It was the first time the Mavericks were shut out this year.
Baatz started out the first with a stand up double down the left field line. After two walks, Chris Berset (Michigan) stepped up and singled to bring home Baatz and Trae Gore. Berset brought in a run on an error. DelGuidice kept the rally going advancing Taylor to home on a single to left field, and Chris Berset scored on an error. Baatz stepped up again to single to center field to bring home Mark Stewart (SCAD) and Aranas.
In the third, DelGuidice advanced home on a balk by Will Dorsey (Stetson) and Aranas scored on a throwing error by second basemen Wethers, putting the Lightning ahead, 9-0.
In the sixth, the Lightning ended the game an inning early on the 10-run rule with two outs and two runners left on base on an RBI-single by DelGuidice.
The Lightning will travel to Sanford to play their final regular season game against the Sanford River Rats today at 7 p.m. The Lightning will be back Friday to host Sanford in the second game of the playoffs.
Young entreprenuers make business at Lightning games
From left, Aaron Hall, Logan Moore and Taylor Davis raise money to rent a blowup house by selling lemonade outside a Leesburg Lightning-Clermont Mavericks baseball game outside Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg on Wednesday, July 22, 2009.
photo and caption by: Victoria Aldrich of the Daily Commercial
Double defeat against Diamond Dawgs
By: Laura Kubitz
LEESBURG- The Leesburg Lightning came off of momentum from a win in the first game of the double header to defeat the Diamond Dawgs again, 10-2.
In the first inning of the second game, it took no time for the Lightning to take the lead. Danny Baatz (UNC-Asheville) scored on a single to right center by Trae Gore (Florida Southern) and Mike Albaladejo (FAU) advanced to home on a sacrifice fly by Trace Venegas.
"When you have double headers, kids have opportunity to get at bats," said Lightning coach Tony Darden. "They have an opportunity to see pitches."
In the fourth, Trey Blackman (TCC) a single to center field to bring home Brad Hutton (Polk State College) and in the fifth the Diamond Dawgs tied it up on a sacrifice fly by Hutton to bring home Ryan Fern (USC Upstate).
The Lightning rallied in the fifth and seventh scoring four runs in each inning to throttle the Diamond Dawgs once and for all.
The Lightning lit up the field again in the seventh scoring four insurance runs to secure the win.
The Lightning defeated the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, 5-2, in the first game of a double header.
Kyle Wahl (Southern) got the win pitching six innings, striking out four, allowing four hits and giving up two runs.
"It's very hot out," Darden said. "They came out and threw strikes and got ahead. They were aggressive in the strike zone."
Evan Taylor (Lenoir Rhyne) picked up a solo home run to left field in the fourth and Nick DelGuidice (FAU) followed suit smacking the ball over the left field fence to pick up his first homerun of the season. Baatz scored on a base hit by lead off hitter Mark Stewart (SCAD) to put the Lightning ahead, 3-0.
In the fifth, Gore picked up an insurance run on a fielding error by third basemen Brett Richardson (Murray State).
The Diamond Dawgs weren't going down easy though. In the sixth, Nick Adams (Mercer) advanced home on a wild pitch and Carlos Labrador (Lake Sumter CC) plated on a throwing error, leaving the score, 4-2.
In the sixth, the Lightning picked up an insurance run when Venegas singled to bring home Albaladejo.
In the ninth, the Diamond Dawgs went quietly when John Michael Blake (Lake Sumter CC) relieved Wahl and struck out two to get the save.
"As long as they compete, Frank [Viola] and I are happy and that is what they did tonight," Darden said.
To sign up to play in the Leesburg Lightning Benefit Golf Tournament and for a chance to play golf with Frank Viola and Ken Griffey Sr., call the Continental Country Club Pro Shop at 352-748-3293.
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