Lightning Drop Low-Scoring Affair To Winter Garden

LEESBURG, Fla.-The Leesburg Lightning dropped their second consecutive home game to open the season Monday night, in a close 4-2 loss to the Winter Garden Squeeze. 

The Lightning were unable to capitalize on five errors made by the Squeeze and left 11 runners on base on the night. 

“I think the improvements in situational hitting will come with time,” Lightning Head Coach Rich Billings said. “We had several lucky breaks with the five errors, but seeing good pitches and driving in runs will come with time and we’ll get better.” 

Ryan Brown (Valdosta State) got the start for Leesburg and gave up two earned runs in four innings of work. The game was a pitcher’s duel throughout, but especially through the first few innings, as the Squeeze scored two runs in the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. 

“I was really pleased with the pitching tonight,” Billings said. “Ryan Brown was really good outside of that third inning and all the bullpen guys did a really good job in the inning that they were responsible for.” 

The Lightning came back to tie it with runs in the 5th and 6th innings, but the tie did not last long, as Winter Garden regained the lead and never looked back with two runs in the 7th inning to make it 4-2 in favor of the Squeeze.

Maika Niu (New Orleans) was the offensive star for Leesburg, as he tallied two hits and a RBI in his season debut. 

“He’s a really good athlete that can play some infield and be a utility man for us this season,” Billings said. “He’s going to get a lot of at-bats and he is going to get the barrel to the ball and we need that right now.”

The Leesburg Lightning will host the Winter Garden Squeeze in the series rubber match once again on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7 PM at Pat Thomas Stadium. 

(Carter Mansfield, Austin Peay State University)

Carter Mansfield - 06/06/23 2:34am

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