Lightning Make History With Thrilling Walk-Off Win

Leesburg, FL – “Do you believe in magic?” Down since the fifth inning, the Leesburg Lightning (10-1) used a furious ninth-inning rally to overcome a DeLand Suns (7-7) lead, ending with a walk-off wild pitch from Suns reliever Kyle Wiseman (Lake Sumter CC). Leesburg’s 6-5 win marked their fourth one-run win of the season.

As they so often do, the Lightning got on the board early, scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning after Tanner May (North Florida) sent a groundball through the legs of third baseman Brayden Sisson (Kentucky Wesleyan) and into shallow left field. Javeon Cody (Alvin CC) slid in safe just ahead of the tag to put Leesburg up 1-0.

DeLand countered with three runs in the top of the second on RBI singles from Trent Taylor (Daytona State) and Geordon Blanton (Marshall). The Suns scored all three of those runs with no outs in the inning, but Lightning starting pitcher Ethan Chavis (NC A&T) regained his composure just in time to stop a big inning, getting outs on the next three at-bats, including a strikeout and a fielder’s choice.

Leesburg tied the game up in the bottom of the same inning after Florida League Player of the Week Jose Crisostomo (Miami Dade) reached on an error and scored from first on a deep double by Sean Mootrey (Georgia Gwinnett). Mootrey later scored a run of his own when league RBI leader Jay Prather (North Florida) grounded out to second base with one out.

The Suns regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Joe Burke hit a two-RBI single into center field, putting DeLand up 5-3. The scoring chance almost didn’t come when, with one out the inning, Spencer Yankle (Winthrop) smacked a liner down the third base line right into the glove of a diving Jay Prather. Prather quickly dove towards third base in an attempt to double up runner Scout McFalls (Winthrop) and was inches away from completing the highlight double play. McFalls got back to the bag just before Prather did, saving the inning for the Suns.

Entering the final half inning, Lightning head coach Rich Billings appeared calm on the outside and said that he just wanted his team to focus on getting one runner on base at a time. “When the inning starts it’s just baserunners, any way you can get baserunners. We’ve been really good when we’re down in the ninth at getting that lead-off runner on,” Billings said. “Jay Prather gave us a phenomenal at-bat there to start off the inning, and it’s just one base at a time. It’s nerve-racking, but I love seeing the excitement from the players, I love seeing that they’re into it and I love it when the fans are into it because it makes me think that everybody thinks that we have a shot.”

Down to their final three outs, the Lightning showed the same fight and determination that they have been known for all season. Jay Prather led off the bottom of the ninth with an infield single, and pinch-hitter Ja’Kobi Dasher (Flagler) singled to right field on the first pitch he saw. Javeon Cody raised some eyebrows when he laid down a bunt during the next at-bat, but DeLand catcher Spencer Yankle slipped before he could fire to first, and Cody reached safely to load the bases. A pair of walks to Tanner May and Jose Crisostomo tied the game at five. With two outs in the inning and the bases still loaded, Kyle Wiseman’s pitch sailed wide of the catcher, rolling just far enough to allow May to advance from third and slide in ahead of Wiseman’s tag. May and his teammates celebrated in the infield, as the Lightning tied the all-time team record for longest winning streak (10 games), set by the 2012 Lightning.

Coach Billings said it’s his team’s willingness to have fun and enjoy playing that has allowed them to find success during this 10-game winning streak. “They’re just fun. They’re a fun group to coach. They’re loose, they don’t get uptight, they play hard and I think that’s probably what I like most about them.”

Leesburg and DeLand will meet again tomorrow in DeLand, a game that promises to be another tight, dramatic contest.

Matt Holzapfel (Elon University)

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