Leesburg Returns the Favor and Shuts Out Winter Park 8-0

Leesburg, Fla – It was a gem of a night from starting RHP Bryan Burtoft who threw 5 innings of shutout ball while allowing just two hits. The offense bounced back after a quiet night, scoring in five of the eight innings.

A clean first inning was the difference maker that allowed for Burtoft to settle in so quickly. The righty would face just four batters in each of the first three frames before getting back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.

Leesburg struck first in the 2nd with extra hitter Cole Bullen scoring after an error by the shortstop, giving the team a 1-0 lead.

The offense gave Burtoft some more run support in the 4th as RF Marco Mueses raced home after the Diamond Dawgs attempted to catch another runner trying to steal second. SS Ledger Pleasant then provided an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Burtoft came out for the 5th and sat down Winter Park in order, needing just 14 pitches to get three outs. The Leesburg native finished with one strikeout in all five innings he tossed while allowing just one walk.

In the bottom of the inning, the Lightning picked up another run after CF Julian Irizarry scored on a wild pitch, making it a 4-0 game.

LHP Ethan Barrett provided two innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit while striking out two.

Later in the 7th, Irizarry and Mueses both knocked in runs with RBI singles which extended the lead to 6-0.

RHP Steven Rojas made quick work of Winter Park in the 8th, needing just 13 pitches to retire the side while striking out two.

After Grant Jordan collected a pinch-hit base hit to lead off the 8th, C Trey Craft walked, putting two on with no one out. Winter Park was able to get the next two batters out before allowing a two-out walk that loaded the bases with 2B Ryan Jenkins stepping up to the plate. Jenkins took no time finding a pitch he liked as he roped a single up the middle which plated two runs and capped off the 8-0 run-rule victory.

Coach Billings highlighted how crucial Burtoft was for the team in his dominant outing on the mound.

“He did exactly what we needed him to do,” said Billings. “His pitch count was even down…and he extended longer than any starter has gone so far this summer. He threw 5 innings, and he was at 59 pitches so that’s exactly what we need our pitchers to do. He allowed us to score some runs and get a lead, and it just made it so much easier on our bullpen tonight.”

After the game, Burtoft described how well he felt on the bump and how everything was going his way.

“Honestly everything was working, I was dotting the slider, and they couldn’t hit the curveball and then I could throw the fastball in any count,” said Burtoft. “I was just trying to throw strikes and give our guys chances to make plays. They couldn’t figure me out; I felt that they just never saw what I was throwing.”

The Lightning will look to take the rubber match game on Saturday, July 12 in Winter Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.

Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

Return to News