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Lightning Strand Bases Loaded in the Ninth in 3-2 Loss to Mavericks

Monday, July 26, 2010 4:29pm

The Orlando Mavericks came into Pat Thomas Stadium with the determination to move one game closer to the third place Leesburg Lightning.  The Mavericks pitching staff would do a terrific job of keeping the Lightning offense at bay, giving up only six hits the entire night and walking only three.  The Lightning on the other hand, gave up eight hits and several walks to go along with two errors which resulted in two unearned runs.  With this win, the Mavericks are within striking distance of the third place Lightning, only two games back with three games left to play.

            Lightning starter Kyle Wahl (Southern University) struggled in his five innings pitched, loading the bases in the first three innings on only three hits.  Wahl walked five batters and hit one batter, but was somehow able to get out of each self induced jam fairly unscathed, giving up only one run in the first three innings, stranding nine Maverick runners.  Wahl then gave up one more run in the fifth inning when he would give up two doubles and a single.  Both runs that Wahl would give up were unearned, throwing errors by the middle infielders in each inning pushing across the runs.

            The Lightning would struggle offensively the entire night, recording only one hit in the first three innings and going down in order twice in that time.  In the fourth, Robert Beary (South Carolina) hit a deep double to right center field, and with two outs, Mark Darlington (West Virginia Wesleyan) came up clutch with an RBI bloop single to left.  The Lightning tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning,Alex Hudak (Florida Atlantic) drawing a walk, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scoring on a clutch two out RBI by Danny Baatz (UNC Asheville).  Baatz and Darlington were the only two Lightning to record multi-hit performances, each collecting two singles.

            The Mavericks took the lead in the sixth inning on a leadoff double, sacrifice bunt, and sacrifice fly.  From there, the Mavericks bullpen took care of the Lightning until the ninth inning, when the Lightning would load the bases with no one out.  Unfortunately, the Lightning could not find that clutch hit to tie and potentially win the game, going down in order, leaving all runners stranded.

            The Lightning have three games left in the season and need to finish strong to secure their third place slot.  Winning momentum could also be crucial as we move into playoffs, the Lightning needing to peak at this point in the season.

 

Trey Garant (University of Michigan)