Lightning Win 7-3 Behind Mathis's Record Night
LEESBURG, Fla. -- The Lightning (12-14) looked to get the second half of the season off to a good start as the club played host to the DeLand Suns (19-9).
The Bolts started the contest off with a bang. After a perfect inning from Lightning starting pitcher Josh Hancock (Florida A&M), the Lightning struck first when Tate Mathis (North Alabama) came around to score on an error after a one-out double.
After Hancock tossed his third consecutive scoreless inning, Mathis recorded his second double in just three innings of play. Mathis then came around to score when Cage Cox (Valdosta State) dropped a single into right field that allowed Mathis to just beat the throw from the DeLand right fielder. After three, the Lightning held a 2-0 lead.
The Suns threatened in the fourth, as they loaded the bases with one out. Hancock was not phased. The Florida A&M Rattler forced a ground ball to the shortstop, Edward Surinach (Embry-Riddle) who initiated a 6-4-3 double play to escape the inning without a run allowed.
After a lightning delay, the Bolts returned to action and put up two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tanner Clark (North Florida) scored on a wild pitch and Edward Surinach (Embry-Riddle) singled home a run and the Lightning led 4-0 after five.
The Suns did not stop fighting, as they were able to cut the Lightning lead in half, 4-2, in the top of the sixth. However, the Lightning proved resilient, as they responded with a run on a wild pitch and a Clark two-RBI single that brought home Surinach and Mootrey.
The Suns got one back in the eighth, but Stephen Wilmer (East Carolina) shut the door in the ninth to preserve the 7-3 Lightning victory.
Tate Mathis went 5-5 with two doubles in the game, breaking the Lightning record for hits in a single game. Mathis attributed his big night to his coaches’ teaching. “I owe it to Coach Billings and Coach Billings Sr. for working with me this summer and especially today before the game,” Mathis said. “They really helped me out with my swing. I felt really comfortable tonight at the plate and was seeing the ball well.”
“Tate was unbelievable tonight,” head coach Rich Billings said postgame. “Just unreal. He was fantastic.”
Billings “We got really good pitching tonight,” he said. “We got good starting pitching from Josh (Hancock) and good work from the bullpen. We hit when we needed to hit, so that was good to see.”
Jaxon Peebles (Alabama)
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Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Fornari, 2b/cf |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Dixon, cf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| McNamara, 2b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Townsend, lf |
4 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Hutzal, 3b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Pregent, c |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Alonso, rf |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Burke, 1b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Wallace, dh |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Omohundro, ss |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Jones, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Widrig, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Udell, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Hutzal, Alonso
RBI - Fornari, Townsend, Burke
GDP - Fornari, Alonso
Fielding
E - Dixon, Burke
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Jones, L |
4.0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Widrig |
1.0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
| Udell |
3.0 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
Wild Pitches - Widrig, Udell 2
Pitches/Strikes - Jones 56/30, Widrig 34/19, Udell 50/33
Groundouts/Flyouts - Jones 4/5, Udell 2/4
Batters Faced - Jones 17, Widrig 8, Udell 15
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
Scott, 2b |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mathis, rf |
5 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Law, 3b |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cox, dh |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Lewis, cf |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Surinach, ss |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mootrey, 1b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Elbe, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Clark, c |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hancock, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Graves, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wilmer, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Mathis 2, Mootrey
RBI - Cox, Surinach, Mootrey, Clark 2
Baserunning
SB - Law, Clark
CS - Lewis, Clark
Fielding
E - Mootrey
Pitching
Wild Pitches - Hancock, Graves
Pitches/Strikes - Hancock 77/44, Graves 49/29, Wilmer 34/24
Groundouts/Flyouts - Hancock 2/5, Graves 1/1, Wilmer 2/1
Batters Faced - Hancock 18, Graves 11, Wilmer 9
Suns
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Fornari, 2b/cf |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Dixon, cf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| McNamara, 2b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Townsend, lf |
4 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Hutzal, 3b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Pregent, c |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Alonso, rf |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Burke, 1b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Wallace, dh |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Omohundro, ss |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Jones, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Widrig, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Udell, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Hutzal, Alonso
RBI - Fornari, Townsend, Burke
GDP - Fornari, Alonso
Fielding
E - Dixon, Burke
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Jones, L |
4.0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Widrig |
1.0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
| Udell |
3.0 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
Wild Pitches - Widrig, Udell 2
Pitches/Strikes - Jones 56/30, Widrig 34/19, Udell 50/33
Groundouts/Flyouts - Jones 4/5, Udell 2/4
Batters Faced - Jones 17, Widrig 8, Udell 15
Lightning
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
Scott, 2b |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mathis, rf |
5 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Law, 3b |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cox, dh |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Lewis, cf |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Surinach, ss |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mootrey, 1b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Elbe, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Clark, c |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hancock, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Graves, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wilmer, p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Mathis 2, Mootrey
RBI - Cox, Surinach, Mootrey, Clark 2
Baserunning
SB - Law, Clark
CS - Lewis, Clark
Fielding
E - Mootrey
Pitching
Wild Pitches - Hancock, Graves
Pitches/Strikes - Hancock 77/44, Graves 49/29, Wilmer 34/24
Groundouts/Flyouts - Hancock 2/5, Graves 1/1, Wilmer 2/1
Batters Faced - Hancock 18, Graves 11, Wilmer 9
Scoring Plays
Bottom 1st
Cage Cox reached on a fielder's choice to first base. Max Law advanced to second on a throwing error by 1b. Tate Mathis advanced to third, scored on the error, unearned.
Bottom 3rd
Cage Cox singled down the rf line, RBI. Tate Mathis scored.
Bottom 5th
Tate Mathis advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tanner Clark scored on a wild pitch, unearned.
Edward Surinach singled through the left side, RBI. Nick Lewis advanced to second. Cage Cox advanced to third. Tate Mathis scored, unearned.
Top 7th
Hunter Fornari singled through the right side, RBI. Joe Burke scored.
Mark Townsend singled to right field, out at second rf to 2b to ss, RBI. Joe McNamara advanced to third. Hunter Fornari scored.
Bottom 7th
Sean Mootrey doubled to right field, RBI. Edward Surinach advanced to third. Nick Lewis scored.
Tanner Clark singled to left field, 2 RBI. Sean Mootrey scored. Edward Surinach scored.
Top 8th
Joe Burke grounded out to 1b unassisted, RBI. Alan Alonso advanced to third. Christian Pregent scored, unearned.
All Plays
Top 1st
Hunter Fornari flied out to lf.
1 out
Timothy Dixon struck out swinging.
2 out
Mark Townsend struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
3 out
Bottom 1st
Robbie Scott flied out to lf.
1 out
Tate Mathis doubled to right center.
Cage Cox reached on a fielder's choice to first base. Max Law advanced to second on a throwing error by 1b. Tate Mathis advanced to third, scored on the error, unearned.
Max Law stole third.
Nick Lewis walked. Cage Cox advanced to second.
Edward Surinach struck out swinging.
2 out
Sean Mootrey flied out to rf down the rf line.
3 out
Top 2nd
Peter Hutzal doubled to left field.
Christian Pregent struck out looking.
1 out
Alan Alonso grounded out to 2b.
2 out
Peter Hutzal advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Joe Burke popped up to 2b.
3 out
Bottom 2nd
Wyatt Elbe flied out to lf.
1 out
Tanner Clark flied out to cf to left center.
2 out
Robbie Scott grounded out to ss.
3 out
Top 3rd
Garett Wallace flied out to lf.
1 out
Jeffrey Omohundro walked.
Hunter Fornari lined into double play 3b to 1b. Jeffrey Omohundro out on the play.
3 out
Bottom 3rd
Tate Mathis doubled to right field.
Max Law grounded out to 3b.
1 out
Cage Cox singled down the rf line, RBI. Tate Mathis scored.
Nick Lewis reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Cage Cox out at second ss to 2b.
2 out
Nick Lewis out at second p to 1b to 2b, caught stealing. 3 out
Top 4th
Mark Townsend singled through the right side. Timothy Dixon advanced to second.
Peter Hutzal infield fly to 2b.
1 out
Christian Pregent walked. Mark Townsend advanced to second. Timothy Dixon advanced to third.
Alan Alonso grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b. Christian Pregent out on the play.
3 out
Bottom 4th
Edward Surinach grounded out to 3b.
1 out
Sean Mootrey flied out to cf.
2 out
Wyatt Elbe struck out swinging.
3 out
Top 5th
Joe Burke struck out swinging.
1 out
Garett Wallace singled through the left side.
Jeffrey Omohundro singled through the right side. Garett Wallace advanced to third.
Matthew Graves replaces Josh Hancock at pitcher.
Hunter Fornari grounded into double play ss to 1b. Jeffrey Omohundro out on the play.
3 out
Bottom 5th
Hudson Widrig replaces Tyler Jones at pitcher.
Tanner Clark reached on a dropped fly by cf.
Robbie Scott struck out swinging. Tanner Clark stole second. 1 out
Tate Mathis singled to left field. Tanner Clark advanced to third.
Tate Mathis advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tanner Clark scored on a wild pitch, unearned.
Max Law struck out looking.
2 out
Nick Lewis walked. Cage Cox advanced to second. Tate Mathis advanced to third.
Edward Surinach singled through the left side, RBI. Nick Lewis advanced to second. Cage Cox advanced to third. Tate Mathis scored, unearned.
Sean Mootrey struck out swinging.
3 out
Top 6th
Timothy Dixon struck out swinging.
1 out
Mark Townsend singled to right field.
Peter Hutzal walked. Mark Townsend advanced to second.
Christian Pregent struck out swinging.
2 out
Alan Alonso struck out swinging.
3 out
Bottom 6th
Hunter Fornari replaces at center field.
Joe McNamara replaces Timothy Dixon at second base.
Connor Udell replaces Hudson Widrig at pitcher.
Tanner Clark flied out to lf to left center.
1 out
Robbie Scott flied out to cf.
2 out
Tate Mathis singled to left field. Wyatt Elbe advanced to second.
Max Law grounded out to 2b up the middle.
3 out
Top 7th
Joe Burke singled through the left side.
Joe Burke advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Garett Wallace flied out to cf to right center.
1 out
Jeffrey Omohundro struck out swinging.
2 out
Hunter Fornari singled through the right side, RBI. Joe Burke scored.
Joe McNamara walked. Hunter Fornari advanced to second.
Stephen Wilmer replaces Matthew Graves at pitcher.
Mark Townsend singled to right field, out at second rf to 2b to ss, RBI. Joe McNamara advanced to third. Hunter Fornari scored.
3 out
Bottom 7th
Cage Cox struck out swinging to catcher.
1 out
Nick Lewis singled to right center.
Edward Surinach singled through the right side. Nick Lewis advanced to second.
Edward Surinach advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nick Lewis advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Sean Mootrey doubled to right field, RBI. Edward Surinach advanced to third. Nick Lewis scored.
Wyatt Elbe struck out swinging.
2 out
Tanner Clark singled to left field, 2 RBI. Sean Mootrey scored. Edward Surinach scored.
Tanner Clark out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 3 out
Top 8th
Peter Hutzal struck out swinging.
1 out
Christian Pregent reached on a dropped fly by 1b.
Alan Alonso doubled to left center. Christian Pregent advanced to third.
Joe Burke grounded out to 1b unassisted, RBI. Alan Alonso advanced to third. Christian Pregent scored, unearned.
2 out
Garett Wallace grounded out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 8th
Robbie Scott grounded out to 3b.
1 out
Tate Mathis singled through the right side.
Max Law fouled out to c.
2 out
Tate Mathis advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Cage Cox flied out to lf.
3 out
Top 9th
Jeffrey Omohundro struck out looking.
1 out
Hunter Fornari flied out to rf to right center.
2 out
Joe McNamara struck out swinging to catcher.
3 out
