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...

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By, Zack Smolen

 

The Contenders:

#1 Leesburg Lightning (18-5, 1-0 Postseason)

#2 Sanford River Rats (15-6, 1-0 Postseason)

 

Projected Starters:

Game 1 Lightning @ River Rats:

 

LL: Nate Henderson (1-0, 0.00 19K)  SAN: Jarrod Cande (1-2, 2.14, 31K)

 

Game 2 River Rats @ Lightning:

 

SAN: Grayson Moore (1-0, 1.38 15K)  LL:  Sam Bennett (4-0, 0.00 16K)

 

Game 3 River Rats @ Lightning *If necessary*

 

SAN: To Be Determined                         LL: Tucker Smith (1-1, 3.52 19K)

 

Regular Season Results: River Rats 5-1 W (7/8), River Rats 8-6 W (7/21), Lightning 4-3 W (7/31)

 

It all comes down to this. In a year rife with uncertainty, somehow this matchup worked out almost exactly the way everyone predicted. There’s something comfortably poetic about things falling oh so neatly into place, and in this case, it’s going to make for some classic summer baseball. Make no mistake, the Leesburg Lightning and the Sanford River Rats are indeed the best two ball clubs...

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By, Zack Smolen

 

Leesburg, FL – The Seminole County Snappers had their share of momentum heading into the FCSL Semifinal Game against the #1 Seed Leesburg Lightning after beating the Leesburg Storm at Pat Thomas Stadium the night before, but it was the Lighting who were able to defend their home turf and pick up a 9-0 win on their way to the Championship Series. The best of three will start on Thursday against the #2 Seed Sanford River Rats to crown the winner of the 2020 season.

In the beginning, it looked like the Snappers were building up to something big, opening the contest with back-to-back base runners to start off the top of the first. Their big hitter Giovany Lorenzo (Stetson) then grounded into a double play that was facilitated by a spectacular stop by Robbie Scott (UNF) to put two outs on the board to halt the momentum. Seminole County would then fail to bring the runner in from third base. 

The starting pitching performance of Dylan Kelley (UNF) was a big reason...

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By, Zack Smolen

 

The Contenders:

 

#1 Leesburg Lightning (18-5)

#4 Seminole County Snappers (10-10-2, 1-0 Postseason)

 

Starters:

 

Lightning: Dylan Kelley (1-0, 2.07 19K)

Snappers: Jack Anderson (1-2, 3.85 16K)

 

Regular Season Results: Snappers 6-1 W (7/14), Lightning 6-3 W (7/25)

 

The Seminole County Snappers earned a dramatic comeback victory Monday night against the Leesburg Storm, erupting late in the game offensively and nailing things down with their bullpen. The reward for their efforts is a return to Pat Thomas Stadium to take on the Leesburg Lightning, who have been the team to beat in the FCSL all summer long. This has all the makings of a classic matchup, as they’re the top-2 two teams in batting and sport two of the top-3 ERAs in the league vying for a chance to compete for the 2020 crown.

 

Battle on the Bump

 

Dylan Kelley (UNF) has been one of the hottest pitchers in all of the league, and will get the ball from Rich Billings for his team’s...

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By, Conlan Birdsall

 

Leesburg, FL – The Seminole County Snappers took their first win in program history after beating the Leesburg Storm in a close 6-2 ball game. Coach McDaniel is proud of the team’s accomplishment.

“I told the guys after the game it’s something you can always remember for the rest of your career when you look back at this 10 years from now you’re still the first team of Seminole County Snappers that won a playoff game.”

Both starting pitchers locked it down in the first inning allowing zero hits and runs. Storm’s Carson Pillsbury (Santa Fe) kept it going in the second, striking out three. Pillsbury ended the day with five innings pitched allowing two hits and a run while striking out eight Snappers players. However, the Storm scored the first run in the bottom of the second. The lead-off batter, Tanner Clark (UNF) walked on four pitches. On a 3-2 pitch, Spencer Rich (Daytona State) drilled a double scoring Clark from first who was already on the...

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