Lightning, North victorious in 2017 All-Star game
SANFORD, Fla. – The Florida Collegiate Summer League’s annual home run derby and all-star game ended with a split, as the South took the derby and the North snagged a 6-4 victory at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
The Leesburg Lightning had Michael Johnson, Ryan Allain, Drew Peden, Camden Williamson, Tristen Gagan, Cage Cox and Kevin Lambert join the North’s roster on Saturday night.
Johnson started on the mound for the North and tossed nine pitches, all strikes, to put the South away in order.
“For [Johnson] to come out and do what he did… to throw all nine strikes in that first inning, that was huge,” Lightning head coach Rich Billings said. “I thought all of our arms did a really nice job tonight, just competing and making plays.”
The contest went back and fourth, with teams tying in each inning before two errors brought home Williamson and a sacrifice from Gagan scored Sanford’s Elih Marrero for a 5-3 North lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Allain took the hill in the seventh for a nine pitch, six strike inning. Williamson went 2-3 on the night with one run and a stolen base. Gagan and Cox both were 0-2, with a walk and RBI for Gagan.
The North extended their lead in the eighth on a double for a six run ballgame. The South responded in the ninth but it wouldn’t be enough for a final score of 6-4.
Peden entered in the eighth, hurling 14 pitches with two strikeouts and a putout. Lambert finished 1-3 with a walk in the North’s victory over the South.
“It helped that everyone had a certain level of success,” Billings said. “That always makes it a little more fun, to see your guys represent our team well. I always enjoy watching them interact with other players and get to meet new guys and make new friends. It makes it a special night and hopefully gives them confidence going into the second half of the season.”
Austin Mauer and Michael Koenig had two and three home runs in the first round of the derby, respectively.
Leesburg returns from the all-star break on Monday, July 10, as they host the Altamonte Springs Scorpions at Pat Thomas Stadium with a 7 p.m. first pitch.
Emily Shoffit (Auburn University)