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Lightning Give Rats Five Runs in the Seventh to Lose 6-2

Sunday, July 18, 2010 8:45pm

The Leesburg Lightning jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning and looked to be running on all cylinders.  Lightning starter Nic Kovacs (Lake Sumter CC) was nearly perfect through the first three innings, giving up only one hit.  Kovacs would go 6.1 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.  The River Rats would have one big inning in the seventh inning to gain their first lead of the game, scoring five runs to make the game 6-2.  Unfortunately for the Lightning, this has been somewhat recurrent throughout the season.  One bad inning turns a great game into one of desperation, and what started out as a very promising day, turned into a night of disappointment.

            In the top of the first inning, the Lightning came out swinging, starting with Danny Baatz (UNC Asheville) who led off with a double down the left field line.  Baatz would later be thrown out at the plate when Thomas Sicking (South Florida CC) would hit a line-drive single to center.  The ball would get away from the center fielder, but not far enough, and would catch Baatz at home for the first out.  Robert Beary (South Carolina) would single to centerfield as well, moving Sicking to second base.  After a ground out to the shortstop, Michael Gonzalez (East Tennessee State) would bring both Sicking and Beary in with a soft liner into shallow left field for a 2 RBI single. 

            Kovacs would show great command through the first six innings of work, allowing only one run on two hits in the fifth.  The defense would have a solid performance throughout the first several innings with a few sliding catches by right fielder Robert Beary in the fourth, a great double play by Nick Smelser (Midland College) in the third, tagging the runner and throwing to first, and then another great double play to end the fifth by Baatz.  Baatz, playing first base, would snag a high line drive and immediately turn to tag the runner leading off of first for the unassisted double play. 

            With the score in favor of the Lightning 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, the River Rats mounted a comeback, starting with a double down the line by Kelvin Clark (Florida Southern).  Kovacs would then walk the next batter and give up an RBI single that would tie the game.  With runners on first and second, the Rats would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move both into scoring position with one out.  Kovacs would then hand the ball over to reliever John Michael Blake (UCF).  Blake would struggle with command, giving up an RBI single to the next batter.  With runners on first and third, Blake would then walk the bases loaded.  From there, Blake would walk two more batters to bring in two more runs for the Rats.  Matt Pierpont (Winthrop) would come in relief of Blake, throwing one wild pitch to give up the final run of the inning before striking out the final two batters.

            “The one thing you have to do when you come into the game is establish the strike zone,” Coach Viola said of the big inning.  Walks hurt the Lightning tonight, turning a close game into one that got too far out of reach.

            The Lightning look to rebound on Monday as they return home to face the Orlando Mavericks at Pat Thomas Stadium at 7:00PM.

 

Trey Garant (University of Michigan)