Dawgs defeat Lightning to begin winning streak
by: Laura Kubitz (Florida)
The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs defeated the Leesburg Lightning, 4-3, on Friday to manifest their first winning streak of the season with two victories in a row.
The Lightning's Trae Gore (Florida Southern) went two for four with an RBI double and a base hit. The Diamond Dawgs' Anthony Figliolia (UCF) went three for four with three base hits.
The Diamond Dawgs took the lead in the first inning putting up one run. Taylor Oldham (Covenant College) scored on sacrifice fly to center field by Jeff Moyer (Palm Beach Atlantic).
The Lightning responded to the Dawgs early lead scoring a run in the first to tie the game. Gore got to first on a hit by pitch, advanced to second on an error and scored on Travis Howard's (USC Aiken) sacrifice fly to center field.
The Diamond Dawgs reclaimed the lead in the third inning when Figliolia scored on a base hit by Moyer, but he was tagged out attempting to advance to second.
In the fifth, the Diamond Dawgs furthered their lead with Figliolia scoring on a base hit by Bradley Hutton (Polk CC).
But the Dawgs weren't done yet.
They recorded one more insurance run when Hutton scored on an error by third basemen Mark Stewart (SCAD), ending the inning at, 4-1.
The Lightning threatened a comeback in the fifth with two back-to-back base hits, but they were stopped by two pop-outs and a strike out by Chad Hodges (Shorter College).
Again in the sixth again it looked like the Lightning would rally adding two to the scoreboard, but it wouldn't be enough. Danny Baatz (UNC Asheville) scored on a double by Gore and Stewart made it home on a fielder's choice by Mike Albaladejo (Florida Atlantic), leaving the score, 4-3.
In the seventh and final inning of the game, the Lightning went out quietly with two strikeouts by Chandler Jagodzinski (Lake Sumter CC) and a runner out a first.
The Lightning will host the DeLand Suns today at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday at 5 p.m.
Lightning take down the Sluggers with just one run
by: Laura Kubitz
One run was all it took for a victory on Wednesday.
The Leesburg Lightning brought down The Villages' Sluggers, 1-0, just one day after the Sluggers broke the DeLand Suns' 13-game winning streak.
Kyle Wahl (Southern) got the win working six innings, striking out seven and allowing no hits until the sixth. Jon Bolt (USC-Aiken) relieved Wahl to pitch two innings and striking out two. Mike Dufek (Michigan) closed the game striking out two.
"From a pitcher's standpoint that was a beautiful ball game," said Lightning manager Frank Viola. "Kyle Wahl threw the heck out of the ball tonight. He had the one bad pitch were he hit the guy (Ian MacGeorge) in the helmet and then he walked the next guy after that cause he was a little bit served but he got it together again. He pitched great. Jon Bolt did his job and Dufek finished it up. You couldn't ask for a better overall performance."
In the third inning, the Lightning picked up the lead. Danny Baatz (UNC-Asheville) hammered a double to right field. Hudak scored Baatz with a single. It looked like the Lightning had started a rally after base-hits by Trae Gore (Florida Southern) and Nick DelGuidice (Florida Atlantic), but the Sluggers got out of a bases loaded jam with a double play to end the inning before any more damage was done.
New additions to the Lightning's roster will strengthen the Lightning's bullpen. Saturday's starting pitcher Eric Katzman (Michigan) and righty Robert Lake (Winthrop) are predicted to be valuable assists to the Lightning.
"When the new players come in we are going to give them rolls," said Viola. "The big thing I want to do is make sure everybody's arms are fresh. That is the whole idea of summer ball. The more pitchers I get the more I can space them out in their appearances and the more they will be ready to go when they are called on."
After taking Thursday off, the Lightning will host the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs on Friday and the DeLand Suns on Saturday. Both games will be at 7 p.m.
Late inning rally puts DeLand past Lightning
By: Laura Kubitz
Derek Luciano (UCF) went 3-for-4 with two base hits and a RBI double on Monday to lead the league-leading DeLand Suns to a come-from-behind, 2-1 victory over the homestanding Leesburg Lighting at Pat Thomas Stadium in
Leesburg.
DeLand began its charge in the ninth inning on the short end of a 1-0 score. William Gordan (Southern Polytec) reached first on an error by third baseman Nick Aranas (USC-Aiken) to begin the rally, then scored on Luciano's double to tie the game. The Suns secured what would prove to be the winning run when Austin Chubb (Manatee CC) singled to plate Luciano.
"In the ninth, the 75-footer just happened to play on Nick and happened to hurt us," said Lightning manager Frank Viola. "But it was a very good ball game. We had two outstanding pitchers go against us, and they battled."
Lightning pitcher Lindsey Caughel (Stetson) worked five innings, striking out four and allowing just three hits.
In the second inning, it looked like the Suns would record their first runs of the game, but the Lightning escaped a bases loaded jam when Caughel induced Alejandro Sanchez (Bethune Cookman) to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Lightning picked up a slim lead in the sixth with a base hit by Aranas to score Mark Stewart (SCAD).
In the sixth, Eric Katzman (Michigan) made his Lightning debut when Viola used him to relieve Caughel. In just two innngs, Leesburg's new kid on the block struck out four.
"He is going to be a big addition," Viola said. "Today, we just wanted to get his feet wet. He'll be part of the starting rotation and will get his first start on Saturday."
The Suns set up to take the lead in the seventh, but were quickly shut down. With runners on first and third, the Lightning made a key defensive play by shortstop Nick DelGuidice (Florida Atlantic), who grabbed a line drive, then fired to first to catch Luciano heading back to first.
Again in the eighth inning, it seemed as through the Suns would take the lead with runners on first and second. Eric Doty (Polk CC) relieved Kyle Moeder (Central Florida CC) and delivered the strikeout that would shut down the Suns for the third time in the game.
"First eight innings we battled," Viola said. Lindsey gutted out five good innings. Eric Katzman who is going to be a beautiful addition pitched two-thirds of a good innings. We had a questionable call on the shortstop and obstruction, but we came through with that. But it was a very good ball
game. They battled."
After the Suns' rally in the top of the ninth, the Lightning went out quietly in order.
The Lightning will face the Clermont Mavericks at East Ridge High School tonight. The Lightning will then take on the Sanford River Rats at The Villages High School baseball complex on Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts.
Suns end Lightning's winning streak
By: Laura Kubitz
Derek Luciano (UCF)went 2-for-3, scored two runs and drove in two more
to lead the DeLand Suns to an 8-3 win in the second game of a doubleheader
on Saturday and a sweep of the Leesburg Lightning.
The Suns snapped Leesburg¹s five-game winning streak with an 8-5 win in the
opening game at Conrad Park-Melching Field.
The Suns' Taylor Wrenn (Manatee CC) went two for four with a base hit and a double and Luciano went 2-for-4 with two RBI singles.
For the Lightning, Travis Howard (USC-Aiken) went one for four with an RBI-double in the fifth.
It wasn't until the fourth inning that the DeLand Suns recorded a run.
Wrenn advanced to home plate on a base hit to step ahead of the
Lightning, 1-0.
It didn't take long for the Lightning to answer back when lead off walk
began a Leesburg rally.
Mike Albaladejo (Florida Atlantic) stole home to record the Lightning's first run of the game. Trae Gore (Florida Southern) smacked a triple to the right field warning line to score Mark Stewart (SCAD) and Nick DelGuidice (Florida Atlantic) continued the action with a base hit to plate Gore. DelGuidice scored on Nick Aranas' (USC Aiken) fielder's choice. The final run of the inning was scored on Howard's double to advance Mike Dufek (Michigan) home.
With the Lightning leading, 5-1, in the sixth inning, the floodgates opened
up for a Suns comeback.
Jabori Blash (Miami Dade) scored on Jonathon Griffin's (Manatee CC) triple. Luciano's base hit brought home Griffin and the runs continued to come in with another RBI base
hit by Emmanuel Castro (Bethune Cookman). William Gordon (Univ. of Pennsylvania) double RBI single plated Peter O'Brien (Bethune Cookman) and Castro.
The rally didn't stop there.
Hendricks reached first on an error by second basemen Mark Stewart and Mason Heller (Southern Polytec) advanced to home. Brandt Henricks (Univ. of Alabama) scored on Taylor¹s double to finalize the score at 8-5.Leesburg defeats Sanford
By: Laura Kubitz
The Leesburg Lightning defeated the Sanford River Rats, 5-2, on Friday to continue their five-game winning streak.
Rick Kalgstein got the win pitching five innings, striking out four and allowing no runs. Trae Gore went three for five with a home run, and two singles. That homerun came in the fifth inning to begin a Lightning rally.
After Doug Simmons relieved Florida Collegiate Summer League Pitcher of the Week Trey Ferrano, the Lightning scored four runs in the fifth inning. Travis Howard's double RBI base hit scored Nick DelGuidice and Nick Aranas, putting the Lightning ahead, 4-0.
Gore is proving to be a powerful addition to the Lightning lineup going five for seven this season.
"After the draft he was a little upset he didn't get drafted but he came here and was focused on baseball," Viola said. "If these first two games are an example of what he is going to do the rest of the season, it is going to be a fun season."
Rick Kalgstein continued his dominance on the mound again tonight. It wasn't until the fifth inning that the River Rats were able to record a hit.
The last time Kalgstein pitched against the Sanford River Rats, he went four two-third innings with no hits.
"He is throwing the ball extremely well," said Lightning manager Frank Viola. "Today he struggled with it with his control but he made the pitches when he needed too."
In the fourth inning, the Lightning recorded the first run of the game. Evan Taylor walked, advanced to second and scored on Trace Venegas' base hit.
The River Rats answered back with a run in the sixth inning. Hank Patterson walked, stole second and third and plated on an error by second basemen Mark Stewart.
The Lightning put up an insurance run in the seventh inning with a base hit by Trace Venegas scoring Nick Aranas. Travis Howard made it to home plate, but was tagged out by catcher Chris Smelley in a key play to end the inning.
In the seventh inning, the River Rats chipped away at the Lightning lead scoring Trey Hayes with a double by Antonio Clark, but it wasn't enough to secure a lead.
The Leesburg Lightning will take on the DeLand Suns (9-1) with a double-header at Conrad Park/Melching Field at Stetson University at 5 p.m.
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