Lightning sweep Suns in doubleheader showdown

The Leesburg Lightning (6-4) took to DeLand (3-9) on Wednesday afternoon for a doubleheader against the Suns and walked away with the sweep at Conrad Park. Leesburg defeated the Suns 5-0, 2-1 to advance just half a game back from first place.

Tyler Parry (Southern Wesleyan) started on the mound for the Lightning and went a solid five innings for Leesburg. He allowed six hits, walked three and struck out one with no runs scored.

“[Parry] kept them off balance,” Lightning head coach Rich Billings said. “He was in the zone… got a lot of pop-ups and a lot of fly balls and a lot of weak contact and I think that was the difference. We made some nice plays for him on defense and when you put those two things together you give yourself a good chance to win. 

Dominic Jeancola (Embry-Riddle) replaced Parry in the sixth for a solid three up, three down inning.

Singles from Kevin Lambert (Western Kentucky) and Peyton Faulkner (Jefferson CC)  with an intentional walk on Cage Cox (Alabama State) loaded the bases for the Lightning in the top of the sixth. Tristen Gagan (Southeast Missouri) stepped in to knock a perfect single just over the right fielder’s head, scoring Lambert and Faulkner.

Bubba Sangster (St. John’s River) followed with an RBI single that scored Cox and Gagan for a 4-0 Leesburg lead by the end of the inning.

Jay Prather (North Florida) added extra insurance for the Bolts in the top of the seventh to score Jason Moore (Flagler) and secure a 5-0 lead.

Daniel Pierce (Undecided) entered in the bottom of the seventh to help secure a shutout win with the Lightning defense to take game one from the Suns.

In game two the Lightning struck at the top of the second when Gagan advanced to third on an error and Michael Koenig (Coastal Carolina) drove him home with a single.

The Suns responded in the bottom of the inning when Alan Alonso (Lake Sumter) was plated by a putout by Kyler Allen (North Georgia).

Michael Johnson  (North Carolina A&T) toed the rubber for Leesburg in game two, tossing seven innings with eight hits, one run, one walk and two strikeouts.

Daniel Bergtholdt (Southeast Missouri) took the mound in the top of the eighth but was replaced by Drew Peden (Florida Atlantic) after one out. A putout and strikeout sent the Lightning to the top of the inning.

With two outs, Tucker Rayburn (Tallahassee CC) and Lambert hit two perfectly placed singles to start a rally. Faulkner came to the dish and fell behind in the count with two strikes. The third pitch he sent flying to right field for an RBI single that scored Rayburn and gave the Lightning the go-ahead 2-1 lead.

Peden entered in the top of the ninth and sat down three with a strikeout swinging, looking and fly out to second to secure another win for the Bolts 

“I just went out there and pitched,” Peden said. “I told my team that I just need one run and thanks to Tucker’s slide, got it.”

The Lightning travel to Sanford Memorial Stadium Thursday to take on the River Rats with first pitch set for 7 p.m.

Emily Shoffit (Auburn University)

Emily Shoffit - 06/21/17 11:08pm

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