Frank Jolley - Daily Commercial
LEESBURG — The Leesburg Lightning struggled with the Sanford River Rats all season.
Heading into Game 2 of the Florida Collegiate Summer League championship series Friday, the Lightning had managed only one win in four prior meetings between the two teams.
And the River Rats added an exclamation point in the most important game of the season for Leesburg.
Sanford’s Jarrod Cande blasted a two-run to spark a five-run eighth inning, lifting the River Rats to a 6-3 win at Pat Thomas Stadium-Buddy Lowe Field. It is the fifth Whiting Cup — symbolic of winning the FCSL Championship — in eight title-game appearances for the River Rats.
Cande’s blast to center field also plated Brandon Fields, who opened the frame by working Lightning reliever Jude Ard for a walk. The homer opened the gates for Sanford’s biggest inning of the two-game title series.
It was Cande’s first homer of the season and his first hit of the postseason; however, it was...