Official Website of the 2009 FCSL Champions

Mavericks put out the Lightning

Friday, July 3, 2009 8:51am

By: Laura Kubitz

The Clermont Mavericks rallied in the eighth inning to beat the Leesburg Lightning, 10-2, on Thursday.

Despite receiving the loss, Kyle Wahl (Southern) struck out 11, working six innings and allowing two runs.

"First couple of innings he couldn't get his fast ball over to save his life," said Lightning manager Frank Viola. "But he had a great breaking ball and a good change up, he made the pitches he needed too. He did a great job."

The Mavericks' Chase Okey (Lake Sumter) and the Lightning's Trace Venegas (Santa Fe CC) went three for four with two base hits and a double.

The Mavericks scored early in the first when Tyler Benzel (Louisiana Lafayette) smashed a double to left field scoring Okey. With the bases loaded it looked like the Mavericks were set for an early rally, but Wahl responded to the pressure striking out Tim Dye.

In the second, the Lightning tied up the game. Venegas stole second after an attempt by Trey Dahl (South Florida) to pick him off at first. With a single by Alan Oaks (Michigan), Venegas advanced to home to put the Lightning on the board.

But it would be the last time the Lightning would score for a long time.

"Our hitters didn't do the job when we were in the scoring position," Viola said. "Six or seven guys had the chance to drive in runs. That bothers me more than anything."

In the third, Joey Burkhalter (Florida Atlantic) hammered the ball to center field to get his first home run of the season, to put the Mavericks up by one.

Burkhalter came alive again in the seventh with a double to lead a Maverick rally. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and Brett Hendricks (Bradley) got to first on a hit by pitch and stole second. Okey stepped up to the plate to deliver a double to bring Burkhalter and Hendricks home, leaving the score, 4-1.

"Brett [Blaise] came in and did a nice job, he just couldn't put them away, but he is really close to being good," Viola said. "I really needed him to get some work in. He didn't pitch effectively, but he went after them."

The Mavericks didn't stop in the eighth inning.

Getting on base any way possible, with four base hits, two walks, a hit by pitch and a fielder's choice, the Mavericks put up six insurance runs to secure the lead, 10-1.

The Lightning didn't go out without a fight. Nick Aranas (USC Aiken) scored on an error in the ninth, but Dye made an impressive diving catch in center field to get the third out to finalize a Maverick victory.

"When push comes to shove, as the season goes on, I am going to be picking my pitchers a little a better and I am going to be putting people in the right spots," Viola said.

The Leesburg Lightning will host the Sanford River Rats on Friday at 7 p.m. and the DeLand Suns on Saturday at 6 p.m.