Lightning Hold Off Boom for Vital Win

LEESBURG, Fla. - The Leesburg Lightning (20-22) returned home to Pat Thomas Stadium - Buddy Lowe Field on Friday night and picked up a much needed win, beating the Altamonte Springs Boom (20-19) by a final score of 6-5. Jose Bonilla (Florida Atlantic) went 2-for-4 with two RBI, leading the Lightning at the plate.

Looking for a win to remain in prime playoff position, Leesburg returned to their home confines where some of their best baseball has been played. The Lightning faithful got behind them as they’ve always done, and the performance on the field reflected their undying support.

As he’s done most of the season, Cornell Nixon (Eastern Kentucky) reached on a leadoff infield single and then stole second base. Austin Simmons (Thomas) followed in the lineup and singled into center field, scoring Nixon for the first run of the game. After Clay Simmons (South Florida) reached on a fielder’s choice, Tanner Long (Thomas) and Bonilla recorded back-to-back singles as the Lightning were in business.

Simmons and Long scored on Bonilla’s single into left field, giving Leesburg a 3-0 lead after one.

“Jumping out early in games has definitely been a bright spot for us this season,” Head Coach Rich Billings said. “We had [Chamblee] on the ropes early tonight but we didn’t take advantage of it as much as I’d hope we would’ve. We just have to do a better job of pressing the gas pedal once we get out there.”

Lightning starter Walker Burgess (Florida Southern) cruised through the first but ran into trouble in the second. He gave up three hits — one of them bringing in a run — ending his day early.

Leesburg tallied a response in the bottom of the inning as Josh Pagliei (Flagler) doubled off the fence in left-center, scoring Igor Baez (Flagler) to make it 4-1 .

Behind four hits, Altamonte Springs scored a run in the third and fourth off MacLain Larson (Flagler) as they pulled within a run at 4-3.

After three scoreless innings, the Lightning were silenced no longer in the sixth. Baez led off the inning with a double and scored one batter later as Harlan Harris (Valdosta State) knocked a ball up the middle, right between the shortstop and second basemen. They added another run in the inning as Harrison Scanlon (Western Kentucky) singled into left field, scoring Harris. Nixon got a little greedy and tried to advance to third on Scanlon’s single but was thrown out to end the inning.

The Boom were not scared off as they retaliated in the seventh. Mitchell Barati (Texas Dallas) and Russell Schwertferger (South Carolina Upstate) led of the inning with back-to-back singles putting Lightning reliever Ryan Allain (Florida Tech) into an early jam. Danny Rodriguez (Bethune-Cookman) came up in a huge spot for Altamonte Springs and delivered, singling into left field — scoring both runs to trim the lead to 6-5.

“Our bullpen struggled at times but for the most part, they kept us in it and ultimately gave us a chance to win tonight,” Billings said.

Dan Twitty (St. Leo) closed things out for the Lightning in the ninth, picking up his second save.

Harris also went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI for the Lightning.

With the win, Leesburg is now 1 1/2 games back of Altamonte Springs for third place.

The two teams conclude their three-game series on Saturday night as they return to Lake Brantley High School. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“It’s easy to play here at Pat Thomas,” Billings said. “We have to find a way to bring that energy to Lake Brantley and come out with another win.”

Eddie Poe, York College of Pennsylvania

Eddie Poe - 07/29/16 9:01pm

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