Leesburg Splits the Doubleheader against Orlando to Remain in Second Place

Orlando, Fla- In game one of the doubleheader, the pitching staff struggled against an aggressive Snappers lineup that hit 3 home runs in the first two frames. Game two saw the Leesburg offense come to life followed by a great pitching performance in the middle innings. 
 
Game 1: 
The scoring got started early in Orlando with the Lightning picking up a run with an RBI single from 1B James Strom to give them a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Snappers would get that run back and more with two 2-run home runs to give Orlando a 4-1 lead. The fireworks would continue in the second as the Snappers picked up another home run to extend their lead to 5-1.

Extra hitter Reid Snider would help Leesburg start to chip away at the lead in the 4th by providing an RBI single to make it 5-2.

Orlando would once again get a run back in the bottom of the inning after an RBI single plated another run to extend the lead to 6-2.

The pitching struggles continued for Leesburg in the 5th with a hit by pitch bringing across another run for Orlando to make it a 7-2 ballgame.

The last three frames saw the Snappers pitching staff silence the Lightning bats, allowing just 1 hit and 2 walks as they would take game one 7-2. 
 
Game 2:

Like they did in the first, Coach Billings' offense got started early after LF Marco Mueses knocked in a run with an RBI single to give Leesburg a 1-0 lead.

That lead would once again be short-lived as the Snappers got another home run from their leadoff batter to tie the game at 1-1.

The Lightning were able to answer back in the 2nd starting with a double off the bat of SS Ledger Pleasant that brought home a second run. Next up was CF Julian Irizarry who got an RBI groundout before extra hitter Riley Fitzgerald knocked in another run with a double giving Leesburg the lead back, 4-1.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Orlando would get a run back with an RBI single to cut the lead in half making it 4-2.

The back-and-forth battle between the two offenses would continue to the 3rd with RF Charlie Keller sending a no-doubt opposite field shot over the left field wall to extend the lead to 5-2. With two on and two out in the inning, the lightning horn went off, suspending the game for 40 minutes before the game would resume.

Both offenses would start to cool down after the delay with LHP Sebastian Miller providing 2 clean innings after RHP Cade Mattison ran into some trouble in the 4th. Miller came on with two on and no one out and was able to get a groundout, strikeout, and flyout to leave the runners stranded heading to the 5th.

Miller would throw a 1-2-3 5th inning before the lightning horn went off again in the top of the 6th. The coaches and umpires would meet and agree to call the game with bad weather rolling in, giving the Lightning the 5-2 victory.

Coach Billings touched on how clutch Sebastian Miller’s performance was after the delay to help silence the once red-hot Snappers bats.

“Sebastian Miller was really good tonight, he came in and got us out of that jam,” said Billings. “That was one of the big momentum shifters for us tonight, he did a great job and without him, maybe we don’t finish on top. He just located really well and commanded his fastball. He figured out what was working tonight, and he stuck with it and made them swing.”

The Lightning head back home to face the Snappers again on Tuesday June 17 in hopes of gaining a two-game lead on them in second place. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Pat Thomas Stadium.

Box Score for Game 2
 
Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

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