Lightning snap four game losing streak at Winter Garden

The Leesburg Lightning (7-8) defeated the Winter Garden Squeeze (8-9) to snap a four-game losing streak on Tuesday afternoon at West Orange High School. 

“It feels good to show up and score some runs and get hits with runners in scoring position,” Lightning head coach Rich Billings said. “Getting great pitching and great hitting, that was the difference today.”

Leesburg took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a wild pitch that scored Alex Ray (Santa Fe). Michael Johnson (North Carolina A&T) tossed a solid seven innings for the Lightning, allowing only two hits, two runs and a strikeout.

“[Johnson] did a great job,” Billings said. “It’s been consistent with what he’s done so far this summer. Every time he’s stepped on the mound we know he’s going to give a chance… We know he’s going to keep us in the ballgame.”

Brenton Burgess (Middle Georgia State) had a single in the third inning that scored Tristen Gagan (Southeast Missouri) for a 2-0 game.

In the fourth, a bases-loaded walk brought home Michael Koenig (Coastal Carolina) for a 3-0 lead. Cage Cox (Alabama State) knocked a fastball over the right field fence for a solo home run to put the Bolts up 4-0.

“It was an awesome feeling out there today,” Cox said. “Just breaking out of my slump and getting it done for my team felt good.”

Peyton Faulkner (Jefferson CC) scored in the sixth on a Gagan double and Cox followed with another homerun off a changeup, touching all the bases with Gagan to lead 7-0.

Two runs would score for the Squeeze in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly an error to cut into the Bolts lead 7-2.

Johnson returned to the mound in the seventh for a three up, three down inning and was replaced by Benjamin Berggren (Bethune-Cookman) in the eighth.

“I just have to go out on the mound, do my thing and get groundouts and pop-ups,” Johnson said. “I was more tired in the fifth than I was in the sixth and seventh. After the fifth inning, I came in and got my cool and went back out there.”

Berggren left the Squeeze scoreless with two hits and one strikeout and submarine pitcher Drew Peden (Florida Atlantic) sealed the win for the Lightning with two strikeouts and a putout. 

Leesburg returns to action Tuesday, June 28, at DeLand with a 7 p.m. start time.

Emily Shoffit (Auburn University)

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