Peden, Shoffit earn end of season honors

Peden, Shoffit earn end of season honors

The Florida Collegiate Summer League season came to a close on Sunday, August 6, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. While the Lightning were unsuccessful in their postseason endevours, two Bolts represented Leesburg well and earned some end-of-the-year hardware. Drew Peden, a three-year veteran and reliever, took home his second-straight Top Reliever of the Year Award. Emily Shoffit, team journalism intern, recieved Journalism Intern of the Year.

Peden, a 6 foot side-arm pitcher from Florida Atlantic University, boasted a 3-1 record through 14 games and 21 innings this season. He held oppoonents to a .181 average at the plate while commanding a 0.86 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

The rising senior also reset the Florida League's record books and sits as the league's all-time record holder for appearences (57) and saves (20). Peden was named an All-Star for the North team all three years of his career.

Shoffit, a recent graduate from Auburn University, saught to put her Sports Journalism degree to use in her first season with the Lightning and the Florida League. She produced game and feature stories for Leesburg while running social media, taking and editing game photos and traveled to each game as an official Lightning representative at each stadium. She also assisted other interns with daily game day setup and journalism stories while submitting stories to the Lightning, Florida League and local newspaper The Daily Commercial.

Shoffit's award marks the second year in a row that a Lightning intern has recieved an honor.

Return to News

Lightning are the 2023 FCSL Champions!