A Late Lightning Rally Was Not Enough as They Fall 8-6 to the Squeeze

Winter Garden, Fla- It was almost too much to ask for the Lightning offense to come back and carry the team to another victory against a gritty Squeeze offense. After winning the last two games, the team falls back under .500 as they head into their first off day of the season. 
 
Both starting pitchers were able to put up scoreless 1st inning frames before the two offenses started to give them trouble. The Lightning saw their first home run of the summer off the bat of 1B Juan Orozco in the 2nd giving the team a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Squeeze got that run back and added some more after a bases loaded walk from LHP Gunner Plante plated a run followed by a 2 RBI single that gave them a 3-1 lead. 
 
Another bases loaded walk from Leesburg pitching in the 4th made it 4-1 Winter Garden in the 4th. With the bases still loaded, Squeeze extra hitter Brady White singled to bring home two more followed by a bad throw out of right field that plated another run extending the lead to 7-1.
 
Through the middle innings, Coach Billing’s pitching staff was able to keep the Squeeze at bay which allowed for the bats to try and chip away at the lead. In the 6th, that comeback began with a sacrifice fly from RF Charlie Keller that saw the Lightning get a run back. In the next at bat, 1B Juan Orozco singled up the middle plating another run before a wild throw out of center field allowed CF Julian Irizarry to score, cutting the Squeeze lead to 7-4. 
 
Leesburg was able to chip away at the lead again in the 7th when SS Ryan Jenkins beat the throw at first, breaking up a potential double play that brought home LF Riley Fitzgerald. Moments later, Irizarry’s RBI base hit brought home another run to make it 7-6 heading into the stretch. 
 
In the bottom of the 7th, Winter Garden added an insurance run with an RBI double from Jordan Marlo which extended the lead to 8-6 going into the final two frames. 
 
Squeeze RHP Blayke Rabens was tasked with silencing the red-hot Lightning bats in the last two innings starting with a 1-2-3 8th before running into some trouble in the 9th. A one out single from 2B Ledger Pleasant followed by a walk brought the go ahead run to the plate in the form of Jenkins who eventually popped out. With two down, Rabens wild pitch put the tying run in scoring position with Irizarry at the dish. In a lengthy battle, the righty induced a fly ball to left which sealed the deal for Winter Garden giving the team its first victory of the season, 8-6. 
 
Coach Billings highlighted how the pitching staff needs to step up going forward to put the team in a better position to win games. 
 
“It's just figuring out what guys to put in what position because right now the walks and hits by pitches are killing us,” said Billings. “It's been the difference in probably every loss that we've had so far.” 
 
Once again, the bright spot for the Lightning has been the offense which is also something that the head coach touched on after the two-run loss. 
 
“What I’ve really been pleased with is the fact that they’re limiting their strikeouts,” said Billings. “We have not struck out much and that’s been really nice to see.”  
 
Leesburg enjoys a much needed off day before its next matchup against the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs on Thursday June 5th. First pitch at Alfond Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

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