Leesburg Holds Off Orlando with 4-2 Win to Force a Game 3

Leesburg, Fla- With their backs against the wall, the Lightning put together another dominant performance on the mound. The pitching staff allowed just one earned run tonight and have surrendered just two runs in 18 total innings so far this series. 
 
Starting RHP Tanner Walker provided a quick 1-2-3 inning in the first before he would get some early run support in the bottom of the frame.

After 2B Ryan Jenkins walked, RF Charlie Keller smashed a ball into right field which stayed just inside the foul pole for a two-run homer, giving Leesburg a 2-0 lead. Keller finished the night 2-3 with a homer and a double as well as a walk.

Walker faced the minimum again in the 2nd, sitting the Snappers down in order before giving up his first hit in the 3rd which he was able to work around.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 3rd, C Cole Bullen grounded a ball towards the Snappers shortstop who bobbled it and was unable to get the inning ending out. SS Grant Jordan was able to come around and score which extended the Lightning lead to 3-0.

Orlando responded in the next inning by capitalizing on a throwing error from Jordan that brought in the Snappers' first run and made it a 3-1 game. With two runners still in scoring position, RHP Scout Updike came on and struck out the only batter he faced which left two stranded and held Orlando to just one run.

Updike tossed a scoreless 5th inning while facing the minimum and striking out three of the four batters he faced to close out his night.

In the 6th, James Hill was put in to relieve Updike and was able to work around a two out hit before he received some more run support in the bottom of the inning.

CF Eli Thurmond led off the Leesburg half of the 6th with a base hit before 3B Reid Snider knocked him in with an RBI double to make it 4-1.

Hill tossed another scoreless inning in the 7th before getting into trouble in the 8th, leaving with two on and one out. RHP Bryan Burtoft was put in and after giving up a single to load the bases, the righty got a strikeout and a groundout which left three stranded on the bases.

With just three outs to get, RHP Blake Tipmore came on for the save which proved to be tougher than anticipated. A leadoff hit by pitch followed by a wild pitch put a runner at third with no one out before that run was cashed in on an RBI single. With the lead down to just two runs, Tipmore locked in and was able to get a flyout and strikeout with a walk in between to make it two on with two out. The righty then induced a groundball to short which sealed the deal, giving 

Leesburg the narrow 4-2 victory which now forces a game three tomorrow.
After the game, Coach Billings shouted out his pitching staff once again for such a dominant night on the bump. 
 
“It was nice to see our arms come out and throw strikes and compete,” said Billings. “Tanner Walker was awesome tonight; he got up to almost 80 pitches which is the most anybody has gone this season. The bullpen came in and did a great job…those guys throw strikes, they compete, and they were good, they’ll give us a chance to win.”
 
Charlie Keller was able to walk through his first at bat and what he was looking for before he knocked one over the right field wall. 
 
“He threw me the 3-0 heater middle middle, and I was on time with it but it's 3-0 so I’m not going to swing,” said Keller. “The 3-1 pitch he went to the same exact pitch, and I just swung and got it.”
 
With the win, Leesburg forces a game 3, winner take all matchup against Orlando on Friday, July 25th to see who moves on to the FCSL championship. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at The First Academy. 
 
Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

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