Leesburg Lightning

2

FINAL

3

DeLand Suns
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LEE 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 6 1
DEL 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 6 3
WGriffith
LTipmore
SVCherepanya
Lightning Offense Stifled In Loss To DeLand

Lightning Offense Stifled In Loss To DeLand

DELAND, Fla.- The Leesburg Lightning (21-11) were stifled offensively once again on the road Friday night, in a close 3-2 loss to the DeLand Suns (12-19). 

After mustering only one hit in a shutout loss in the opening games of the series between the Lightning and the Suns, Leesburg was only able to put forth two runs in the second games of the series in the low-scoring loss.

Both starting pitchers were dueling in shutout performances through the first three innings, as Lightning starter Layton Perry (Jacksonville) pitched his only three innings of the game to near perfection.

“We got the absolute best out of Layton (Perry) with the pitch-limit we put on him tonight,” Leesburg Lightning Head Coach Rich Billings said. “He was really sharp and I think that’s exactly what he needed heading into the postseason.”

The Suns were the first team to break through, as they put together a three-run fifth inning in Blake Tipmore’s (Undecided) second inning of work out of the bullpen to take a 3-0 lead. 

The Lightning finally found their way onto the scoreboard after 15 consecutive scoreless innings to start the series. RBI singles from Brooks Bryan (Troy) and Hector Mangual (Undecided) cut the DeLand lead to 3-2 in the seventh inning. 

Both bullpens held steady for the final two innings however, as the Suns held on for a 3-2 victory to keep their season alive.

The Lightning have locked up the one-seed, and were resting a high number of key players in this game, so complacency and a lack of offensive firepower could have been a main reason for their struggles. 

“Everybody knows that these games don’t mean alot to us in the standings, but that’s not an excuse for how we played tonight, I think not getting to play this week at all was also an issued, but it’s still not an excuse” Billings said. “We gave away a lot of at-bats and opportunities to win this baseball game.” 

The DeLand Suns will have everything to play for in the series finale on Saturday night, as they trail the Orlando Snappers by .5 games going into the final game of the regular season. The Suns will clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Lightning on Saturday night and a loss from the Snappers at the hand of Winter Park. Even with the added motivation for DeLand, Leesburg will look to salvage at least win from the series. 

Game three of the series between the Lightning and the Suns will be on Saturday at home for Leesburg in the regular season finale. First pitch is set for 7 PM at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg, Florida. 

(Carter Mansfield, Austin Peay State University)



Carter Mansfield - 07/22/23 12:37am

Return to News

Batting

Name AB R H RBI BB SO
Furry, cf 4 0 1 0 0 1
Gerteisen, lf 4 0 0 0 0 0
Chapman, 3b 4 1 0 0 0 1
Bryan, 1b 2 0 2 1 2 0
Leinenbach, rf 3 1 2 0 0 0
Lopez, dh 3 0 0 0 0 2
Stubbs, c 4 0 0 0 0 2
Mangual, ss 3 0 1 1 0 0
Massa, 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Fitzgerald, dh 3 0 0 0 0 0

Batting

RBI - Bryan, Mangual

HBP - Leinenbach

Baserunning

SB - Chapman

CS - Massa

Fielding

E - Leinenbach

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO
Perry 3.0 1 0 0 0 0
Tipmore, L 2.0 5 3 2 0 1
Loeser 2.0 0 0 0 0 3
Donay 1.0 0 0 0 0 1

Pitches/Strikes - Perry 32/23, Tipmore 46/29, Loeser 30/18, Donay 11/7

Groundouts/Flyouts - Perry 6/3, Tipmore 1/4, Loeser 0/3, Donay 1/1

Batters Faced - Perry 10, Tipmore 11, Loeser 6, Donay 3

Batting

Name AB R H RBI BB SO
De La Cruz, 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Hughes, 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Bruno, ss 3 0 1 0 0 1
Liquori, lf 3 0 0 0 0 0
Lake, dh 3 1 1 1 0 1
Becker, cf 3 0 0 0 0 0
Rivera, c 3 1 1 0 0 1
Mocombe II, dh 3 1 1 0 0 1
Rich, rf 3 0 2 1 0 0
Palma, 3b 3 0 0 0 0 1

Batting

2B - Rich

HR - Lake

RBI - Lake, Rich

Fielding

E - Hughes, Bruno, Palma

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO
Griffith, W 6.0 2 0 0 2 5
Tavarez 1.0 2 2 0 0 0
Cherepanya, SV 2.0 2 0 0 0 1

Pitches/Strikes - Griffith 84/56, Tavarez 22/14, Cherepanya 30/22

Groundouts/Flyouts - Griffith 5/7, Tavarez 2/1, Cherepanya 4/1

Batters Faced - Griffith 22, Tavarez 7, Cherepanya 8

Lightning

Batting

Name AB R H RBI BB SO
Furry, cf 4 0 1 0 0 1
Gerteisen, lf 4 0 0 0 0 0
Chapman, 3b 4 1 0 0 0 1
Bryan, 1b 2 0 2 1 2 0
Leinenbach, rf 3 1 2 0 0 0
Lopez, dh 3 0 0 0 0 2
Stubbs, c 4 0 0 0 0 2
Mangual, ss 3 0 1 1 0 0
Massa, 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Fitzgerald, dh 3 0 0 0 0 0

Batting

RBI - Bryan, Mangual

HBP - Leinenbach

Baserunning

SB - Chapman

CS - Massa

Fielding

E - Leinenbach

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO
Perry 3.0 1 0 0 0 0
Tipmore, L 2.0 5 3 2 0 1
Loeser 2.0 0 0 0 0 3
Donay 1.0 0 0 0 0 1

Pitches/Strikes - Perry 32/23, Tipmore 46/29, Loeser 30/18, Donay 11/7

Groundouts/Flyouts - Perry 6/3, Tipmore 1/4, Loeser 0/3, Donay 1/1

Batters Faced - Perry 10, Tipmore 11, Loeser 6, Donay 3

Suns

Batting

Name AB R H RBI BB SO
De La Cruz, 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Hughes, 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0
Bruno, ss 3 0 1 0 0 1
Liquori, lf 3 0 0 0 0 0
Lake, dh 3 1 1 1 0 1
Becker, cf 3 0 0 0 0 0
Rivera, c 3 1 1 0 0 1
Mocombe II, dh 3 1 1 0 0 1
Rich, rf 3 0 2 1 0 0
Palma, 3b 3 0 0 0 0 1

Batting

2B - Rich

HR - Lake

RBI - Lake, Rich

Fielding

E - Hughes, Bruno, Palma

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO
Griffith, W 6.0 2 0 0 2 5
Tavarez 1.0 2 2 0 0 0
Cherepanya, SV 2.0 2 0 0 0 1

Pitches/Strikes - Griffith 84/56, Tavarez 22/14, Cherepanya 30/22

Groundouts/Flyouts - Griffith 5/7, Tavarez 2/1, Cherepanya 4/1

Batters Faced - Griffith 22, Tavarez 7, Cherepanya 8

Scoring Plays

Bottom 5th

Alex Rich doubled down the rf line, advanced to third on a throwing error by rf, RBI. Kency Mocombe II scored on the error, unearned. Aris Rivera scored.

Top 7th

Brooks Bryan singled, RBI. Logan Chapman scored, unearned.
Hector Mangual singled to center field, RBI. Drew Stubbs advanced to second. Andrew Leinenbach scored, unearned.

All Plays

Top 1st

Michael Furry popped up to 1b. 1 out
Tyler Gerteisen grounded out to 3b, bunt. 2 out
Logan Chapman struck out swinging. 3 out

Bottom 1st

Juan De La Cruz grounded out to p. 1 out
Logan Hughes lined out to rf. 2 out
Chase Bruno grounded out to ss. 3 out

Top 2nd

Brooks Bryan walked.
Andrew Leinenbach singled to first base. Brooks Bryan advanced to second.
Johnnie Lopez struck out swinging. 1 out
Brooks Bryan advanced to third on a muffed throw by 1b.
Drew Stubbs struck out swinging. 2 out
Hector Mangual flied out to cf. 3 out

Bottom 2nd

Jeff Liquori flied out to rf. 1 out
Sammy Lake grounded out to 3b. 2 out
Joseph Becker grounded out to 3b. 3 out

Top 3rd

Joseph Massa grounded out to 3b. 1 out
Riley Fitzgerald flied out to cf. 2 out
Michael Furry popped up to 2b. 3 out

Bottom 3rd

Aris Rivera grounded out to p. 1 out
Kency Mocombe II grounded out to ss. 2 out
Alex Rich singled.
Dominic Palma fouled out to 1b. 3 out

Top 4th

Tyler Gerteisen popped up to 2b. 1 out
Logan Chapman grounded out to 3b. 2 out
Brooks Bryan walked.
Andrew Leinenbach reached on a fielder's choice to third base. Brooks Bryan out at second 3b to 2b. 3 out

Bottom 4th

Blake Tipmore replaces Layton Perry at pitcher.
Juan De La Cruz flied out to cf. 1 out
Logan Hughes out at first 1b to p. 2 out
Chase Bruno singled.
Jeff Liquori flied out to rf. 3 out

Top 5th

Johnnie Lopez struck out swinging. 1 out
Drew Stubbs struck out swinging. 2 out
Hector Mangual grounded out to ss. 3 out

Bottom 5th

Sammy Lake homered down the lf line, RBI.
Joseph Becker lined out to lf. 1 out
Aris Rivera singled.
Kency Mocombe II singled to right field. Aris Rivera advanced to second.
Alex Rich doubled down the rf line, advanced to third on a throwing error by rf, RBI. Kency Mocombe II scored on the error, unearned. Aris Rivera scored.
Dominic Palma struck out looking. 2 out
Juan De La Cruz flied out to rf. 3 out

Top 6th

Joseph Massa reached on a fielding error by 3b.
Riley Fitzgerald lined out to cf. 1 out
Joseph Massa out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 2 out
Michael Furry singled through the left side.
Tyler Gerteisen flied out to ss. 3 out

Bottom 6th

Evan Loeser replaces Blake Tipmore at pitcher.
Logan Hughes flied out to cf. 1 out
Chase Bruno struck out swinging. 2 out
Jeff Liquori flied out to rf. 3 out

Top 7th

Leeroy Tavarez replaces Anthony Griffith at pitcher.
Logan Chapman reached on a throwing error by ss.
Logan Chapman stole second.
Brooks Bryan singled, RBI. Logan Chapman scored, unearned.
Brooks Bryan advanced to second on a passed ball.
Andrew Leinenbach hit by pitch.
Johnnie Lopez grounded out to p, SAC, bunt. Andrew Leinenbach advanced to second. Brooks Bryan advanced to third. 1 out
Drew Stubbs reached on a fielder's choice to third base. Andrew Leinenbach advanced to third. Brooks Bryan out at home 3b to c. 2 out
Hector Mangual singled to center field, RBI. Drew Stubbs advanced to second. Andrew Leinenbach scored, unearned.
Joseph Massa flied out to ss. 3 out

Bottom 7th

Sammy Lake struck out swinging. 1 out
Joseph Becker flied out to cf. 2 out
Aris Rivera struck out swinging. 3 out

Top 8th

Stephen Cherepanya replaces Leeroy Tavarez at pitcher.
Riley Fitzgerald grounded out to ss. 1 out
Michael Furry struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 2 out
Tyler Gerteisen grounded out to 2b. 3 out

Bottom 8th

Tyler Donay replaces Evan Loeser at pitcher.
Kency Mocombe II struck out swinging. 1 out
Alex Rich flied out to cf. 2 out
Dominic Palma grounded out to ss. 3 out

Top 9th

Logan Chapman grounded out to ss. 1 out
Brooks Bryan singled.
Andrew Leinenbach singled to center field. Brooks Bryan advanced to second.
Johnnie Lopez grounded out to 2b. Andrew Leinenbach advanced to second. Brooks Bryan advanced to third. 2 out
Drew Stubbs popped up to ss. 3 out

Leesburg Lightning are the 2024 FCSL Champions!