Lightning Win in Walk-Off Fashion, Advance to Play Sanford

Photo Courtesy of Amber Riccinto/Daily Commercial

LEESBURG, Fla. — The Leesburg Lightning kept their season alive on Tuesday night as they beat the fifth-seeded Winter Garden Squeeze in 11 innings at Pat Thomas Stadium - Buddy Lowe Field, 2-1.

With Leesburg’s stadium packed to the brim, Josh Pagliei (Flagler) came through in dramatic fashion with a two-out, walk-off hit in the bottom of the 11th inning to score Tanner Long (Thomas).

“I saw a slider up in the zone,” Pagliei said. “I just threw my hands and was fortunate enough to get a base hit.”

“Josh really picked me up tonight,” Head Coach Rich Billings said after the game. “I made a few questionable decisions over the last few innings but he really bailed me out.”

Both starters were excellent in the early going as Chris Lake (Flagler) and Shane Haight (St. Leo) each surrendered just one hit through the first three innings. Haight, who Leesburg did not see during the regular season, struck out six over 6 2/3 innings.

Winter Garden struck first, scoring one in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Cody Burgess (Florida Southern) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Corbin (Bethune-Cookman). The next batter, Tyler Halstead (Winthrop), singled to center to bring Burgess around for the first run of the game.

Although he finished with a no-decision, Lake went six innings allowing just one earned run on four hits. He also struck out five.

“Chris gave us his absolute best stuff tonight,” Billings said. “I was actually talking to him before the game about how I hoped he’d get another start, which would be on Sunday. Regardless, he was phenomenal.”

Accumulating just two hits over the first five innings, Leesburg was able to push a run across in the sixth to tie things up.

Pagliei hit a slow dribbler to the shortstop to lead off the inning and beat it out for an infield single. The play would’ve been close to begin with but the throw from the shortstop got past the first basemen, allowing Pagliei to advance to second. Pagliei advanced to third one batter later as Cornell Nixon (Eastern Kentucky) laid down a successful sacrifice bunt.

Two batters later, Harrison Scanlon (Western Kentucky) singled into right field, scoring Pagliei to tie the game 1-1.

Following a short weather delay, Winter Garden put the pressure on Leesburg. With one out in the top half of the eighth, Karl Ellison (Lynn) reached on a single. On the next play, Nick Niarchos (High Point) laid down a sacrifice bunt and Clay Simmons (South Florida) fired it to first to try and get him. The throw got away from Scanlon at first and allowed Ellison to advance to third.

No problem for the Lightning as Dan Twitty (St. Leo) struck out the next two batters to escape the jam unscathed.

The Squeeze threatened in the ninth as well but Drew Peden (Florida Atlantic) struck out three straight batters to get the Lightning out of another jam.

Peden finished with six strikeouts in three innings of relief, picking up the win.

“The guys out of the bullpen [Larson, Twitty, and Peden] continue to perform and come through in huge spots for us just like they have all season long,” Billings said. “Tonight was no different.”

Leesburg will now move on to play the top seeded Sanford River Rats in a best-of-three series beginning on Wednesday.

“We’re going to have play with intensity and enthusiasm from the get-go,” Billings said. “These guys have worked hard and put themselves in this position, and it’s the playoffs.”

“Anything can happen.”

First pitch from Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night is set for 7 p.m.

Eddie Poe, York College of Pennsylvania

Eddie Poe - 08/02/16 11:26pm

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