Official Website of the 2009 FCSL Champions

Lightning Clinch First Putting Down Diamond Dawgs

Friday, July 29, 2011 10:04pm

 

Needing a win to clinch first place and home field advantage, the Lightning got their wish Friday night methodically defeating the Diamond Dawgs. The win crushed any chance that Winter Park had of surpassing Leesburg in the standings.

The Lightning came into the game fresh off of a 14 hit, 13 run pounding of the Freedom and Coach Therneau had expressed his hopes that the offense would carry over into Friday.

The Lightning did just that capitalizing on crucial scoring chances twice in the game and let their pitching and defense take care of the rest.

On the mound for the Lightning was Dylan Ortega who was lights out on Friday. In his last start, Ortega faced the same Winter Park team and was able to keep his team in the game where they eventually earned a victory. Originally said to be on a short leash by Coach Therneau, Ortega’s dominance made it impossible for him to be taken out.

“I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if I took him out tonight,” said Therneau. “He got after it and did what it takes to win that ballgame.”

He pitched into the eighth inning before being replaced by the savvy Kory Brooker. While Ortega didn’t rack up the strikeouts, he controlled the game from start to finish. He left the game with a runner on first and a 4-1 lead. He walked only one batter and avoided trouble all night by pounding the strike zone relentlessly.

The Lightning jumped out to an early lead, scoring two in the first inning. Leesburg loaded the bases when Mike Albaladejo singled, Zane Evans walked and Hunter Mayfield hit one through the right side. With two outs, the pressure was on Chase Durham to come through and he did slapping a single to right center that plated two runs. The early lead had the Leesburg faithful immersed in the game and they never left their seats.

Winter Park would get one run back in the fourth, but really wouldn’t threaten until later in the game.

All season, Leesburg has been able to respond when their opponent scores a run and staying true to form the Lightning, as if hating to have their lead cut down, got a big hit from “The Iron Man” Albaladejo once again with the bases loaded and two outs. The single scored Christian Coburn and Troy Drummond.

“I just got a good pitch to get the bat on,” said Albaladejo. “I had a good swing and I’ve been hitting the ball well hopefully I can take this into the playoffs.”

With the Lightning up 4-1, they turned to their bullpen to finish the job that Ortega started and they came through.

“I was locating my fastball better than I have all season,” said Ortega who had to tip his cap to the crowd who gave him a well-deserved standing ovation. Ortega also had some choice words when it came to describing his feelings about beating nemesis Winter Park. “And hopefully I can roll off this start and take it into the playoffs.”

With two on and no outs in the eighth inning, Kory Brooker came in and struck out a batter before turning the ball over to Max Rusch. The next play all but clinched the victory for the home team.

Austin Chubb stepped to the dish and hit a screaming line drive to left field that everyone in the park thought was a hit except for leftfielder Christian Coburn who made a great sliding catch and then threw a strike to second to get the runner who had broken for third. The double play took any air left out of the already depleted Dawgs.

Ortega earned his fourth victory of the season and Rusch picked up his seventh save in style striking out the side in the ninth inning.

The biggest win of the season poetically comes on the final home game of the season and it seemed that all of Leesburg was in attendance.

“it just makes you want to play harder,” said Albaladejo who’s two RBI single in the fourth sealed the deal for the Lightning. “We feed off their intensity and it makes us want to really get into the game.”

Therneau emphasized the importance of not laying down in the final two games of the regular season so they can go into the playoffs hot.

The final two regular season games are at Orlando on Saturday and Winter Haven on Sunday.

By: Nick Beardi (Medaille College)