Seven Errors Spell Doom for Lightning, End Their Season

Photo Courtesy of Amber Riccinto/Daily Commercial

LEESBURG, Fla.— The Leesburg Lightning’s season came to a close on Friday night as they dropped game two of their three-game series with the Sanford River Rats, 4-2, at Pat Thomas Stadium - Buddy Lowe Field.

The Lightning were depleted by seven defensive errors as Sanford swept the Lightning in two games to advance to the Florida Collegiate Summer League Championship Game.

Following a delay of one hour to start the game, Leesburg struck first. After striking out Cornell Nixon (Eastern Kentucky) to lead things off, Jordan Gubelman (State College of FL Manatee-Sarasota) walked both Austin Simmons (Thomas) and Harrison Scanlon (Western Kentucky). The next batter, Clay Simmons (South Florida), singled into left field to load the bases.

Tanner Long (Thomas) followed, advancing to first on a fielder’s choice and just like that, the Lightning took a 1-0 lead.

Leesburg increased their lead to 2-0 in the third as Clay Simmons and Long each singled back-to-back to get things going for the Lightning. An error by the River Rats second basemen brought in Simmons as their lead grew to two.

After what seemed like a momentum building third inning, things immediately fell apart for Leesburg in the fourth. The fans at Pat Thomas Stadium were thrown into a shock as five defensive errors doomed the Lightning. Sanford made sure to take advantage as they pushed three runs across without recording a hit.

Following Gubelman’s exit in the sixth, Sanford’s bullpen shut the Lightning down the rest of the way — allowing no hits over the final three innings.

Leesburg allowed just three hits the entire game as Nate Brecklin (The Citadel), Ryan Allain (Florida Tech), Dan Twitty (St. Leo), and Drew Peden (Florida Atlantic) combined to strike out 12.

Sanford advances to play the Altamonte Springs Boom in the Championship Game on Sunday, at Tropicana Field.

Eddie Poe, York College of Pennsylvania

Eddie Poe - 08/06/16 1:02am

Return to News