Tinny pushes Lightning over Dawgs

Excitement and clutch hitting pushed the Leesburg Lightning (16-17-1) over the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (17-14-1) with a 7-2 victory at Pat Thomas Stadium on Monday night.

Two RBI singles put the Dawgs up 2-0 in the top of the first inning but wouldn’t find any luck in the following eight innings.

Mike Ruff started for the Lightning tossing two innings with four hits, two runs and two strikeouts. Tucker Smith replaced him for three innings with three hits, no runs and three strikeouts.

Lightning head coach Rich Billings was ejected in the third inning following an arguable at second base, ruled out by the field umpire. Assistant coach Doug Teegarden took over for Billings in his first official head coach appearance for the Lightning, and his first win as a fill-in Leesburg skipper.

“That was just big two out hitting by Mick Tinny,” Teegarden said. “We had a really good approach all through the game, even his first at-bat came up and drove the ball the other way. His second and third at bat with bases loaded when we really needed him to clutch up and he did his job – he did what I knew Mick Tinny could do all year.”

Smith earned the win in the fourth inning when Mick Tinny knocked a bases clearing double to left center field to give the Lightning the go-ahead 3-2 lead. Jay Prather followed with an RBI single to put the Bolts up 4-2.

Dominic Jeancola entered in the seventh for one hit and one walk before Drew Peden replaced him.

Tinny knocked a double in the same spot to clear the bases again and put Leesburg up 7-2 in the seventh for the Lightning’s final strike against the Dawgs.

Peden went a season high three innings on the bump with one hit and five strikeouts to seal the win for Leesburg.

“I focused on one batter on a time,” Peden said. “Props to Mick. I just tried to keep [Winter Park] off the bases.”

Leesburg continues a weeklong home stand at Pat Thomas hosting the Diamond Dawgs again on Tuesday, July 25, with their ‘Christmas in July’ school supply drive and promotion night.

“[Tonight] was a big team win,” Teegarden said. “Now we’re moving our way up to the second place spot… this is behind us now. We’ve got to come back tomorrow ready to go, first pitch, we’ve got to show them that we’re ready to play. We’re here to play.”

Emily Shoffit - 07/24/17 10:47pm

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