Official Website of the 2009 FCSL Champions

Walking Off to Tropicana!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010 11:01am

As a journalist, I am supposed to be unbiased.  I’m not supposed to join in on the “Let’s Go Lightning!” chants started with the ringing of cowbells.  I’m not supposed to favor the Lightning.  But when it comes to this year’s team, I’m sorry, that just isn’t going to happen.  I’m going to go against all those rules, because I am a Lightning fan, and with good reason.  Monday night, the Leesburg Lightning proved why they have won two championships in the last four years.  After the Sanford River Rats clawed back from an 8-5 deficit in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game and send it into extras, the Lightning didn’t give up.  The Lightning continued to battle, and in the bottom of the tenth, would draw two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases for Nick DelGuidice (Florida Atlantic).  With no outs, DelGuidice took the first pitch fastball straight back up the middle to bring in the game winning run, the Leesburg Lightning walking off to a 9-8 victory over the Sanford River Rats.  The Lightning bench cleared, and celebration took place on the field, and what the fans saw was a TEAM.  A team where there are no individuals, no thoughts about personal stats.  It was obvious that the Leesburg Lightning, a team that went sub .500 in the regular season, had become a close knit family, and that includes all the great fans that support the team.  “That looked like a team out there,” Coach Viola said referencing the celebration.  “That was our whole theory, our whole idea, our whole concept for the summer, and now we get to go the Trop (Tropicana Field).”

The Lightning came into Monday’s game needing only one more victory over the Sanford River Rats to clinch their third trip to Tropicana Field in the last four years.  The River Rats however, as they have been all year, would make the Lightning earn it.  In the top of the second inning, the River Rats would pick up two runs on three consecutive hits with two outs.  The Lightning however, had the answer in the bottom half of the inning, starting with a leadoff single by Mark Darlington (West Virginia Wesleyan).  Darlington would advance to second on an errand throw by the second baseman.  After a flyout, Michael Albaladejo (Florida Atlantic) stepped up and stroked a double to deep left field, putting runners at second and third for nine-hole hitter Alex Hudak (Florida Atlantic).  Hudak got the crowd on their feet when he hit a towering three run homerun over the right field wall, giving the Lightning the lead.  But the Lightning weren’t done yet.  Matt Pierpont (Winthrop) hit a single, followed by Adam Cellini (Belmont) who would ground into a fielder’s choice, Pierpont being thrown out at second for the second out.  Robert Beary (South Carolina) then walked to put runners on first and second, setting Michael Gonzalez (East Tennessee State) up for an RBI single to right field.  Danny Baatz (UNC Asheville) then added the final run of the inning with an RBI single to left field, the Lightning coming out of the second inning with a lead 5-2.

It seemed whenever the River Rats made a run, the Lightning had an answer.  Sanford put up two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to pull within one run of the Lightning, and then the Lightning responded in the bottom half with three runs of their own.  After putting one more run on the board in the top of the fifth, both teams fell silent offensively, the score remaining 8-5 until the top of the ninth inning. Lightning reliever Josh Patton (North Florida) had another phenomenal outing, going three innings, retiring the River Rats in order in his first two innings of work, and in his final inning, struck out the side.

The River Rats made an incredible comeback in the top of the ninth inning, putting together a three run rally on four hits, a walk, and a hit batsman.  Scott Robinson (Lake Sumter CC) came into the game in the top of the ninth inning in relief of Dylan Ortega (Brevard CC), working 1.1 innings.  At eight runs apiece, Robinson retired the River Rats in the top of the tenth inning to give the Lightning a chance to win the game in the bottom half of the inning.

Gonzalez started the bottom of the tenth inning with a leadoff walk.  After attempting to bunt over Gonzalez, Baatz found himself in a 0-2 hole at the plate.  The next pitch would go wild, hitting Baatz, putting runners on first and second base with no one out.  Darlington then stepped to the plate, also attempting to bunt the runners over, and also falling into a 0-2 count.  Fouling several pitches off, Darlington had an incredible at bat, working a 3-2 count to draw a walk to load the bases for DelGuidice.  DelGuidice wasted no time, jumping all over the first pitch fastball to hit the walk off single to win the game, scoring Gonzalez.  “We’re riding on it,” DelGuidice said of the momentum the team has found in the final games of the season.  “The team has come together and we are playing good at the right time.”

The Leesburg Lightning are now one win away from their third FCSL Championship.  The atmosphere at Pat Thomas Stadium/Buddy Lowe Field could not have been any better, many Lightning fans waiting for the players to come out of the locker room, giving them a much deserved applause.  I found myself not wanting to leave the field.  It is obvious that the Lightning have an amazing support system, and I can truly say that I am proud to be a member of the Lightning family.  To all the fans, the players, and all those involved with the Lightning, I thank you for an incredible summer.  It’s been one amazing ride, and all I can say is, let’s bring one more championship back to Leesburg! Let’s Go Lightning!

Trey Garant (University of Michigan)