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

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