Lightning Win Big Over Winter Park
LEESBURG, Fla.- The Leesburg Lightning (19-9) cruised to a 10-2 run-rule win over the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (10-17) at home on Tuesday night, extending their lead in first place of the Florida League.
The Lightning offense backed a phenomenal performance from starting pitcher Daniel Foster (Palm Beach Atlantic) with a solid performance themselves, as Leesburg put up four runs in the first three innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Foster would continue to pitch into the fifth inning, giving up only one hit in the shutout performance.
“I just felt really comfortable in the starting role, which is something I’m not used to since I’m usually a relief pitcher,” Foster said. “I just kept a clear head with the early lead and really had all three of my pitches working really well.”
The Lightning would solidify Foster’s chances of getting the win in the bottom half of the fifth inning, tacking on two more runs, highlighted by an RBI triple by Austin Brinling (South Carolina), extending the Lightning lead to 6-0.
Leesburg would tack on two more runs in the sixth inning, on a RBI single from Joseph Massa (Samford) and a sacrifice fly from Michael Furry (St. Johns River State) to give the Lightning an 8-0 lead.
After giving up their first two runs of the game in the seventh inning, the Lightning responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch that scored Brooks Bryan (Troy), and then Riley Fitzgerald (Flagler) put the nail in Winter Park’s coffin in the eighth inning, hitting a “walk-off” RBI single, giving Leesburg a 10-2 run-rule victory.
The Lightning head into the three-day all-star break sitting first in the Florida League standing, holding 1.5 game lead over second place Sanford. Leesburg is 17-3 in their last 20 games, which has propelled them into the position they are in.
“These guys are just super resilient, the season had a chance to go south early on, but these guys did not let it go in that direction,” Leesburg Lightning Head Coach Rich Billings said. “They really get along well and are a selfless group that doesn’t care about lineup adjustments, they do what is needed to win.”
Following the break, the Lightning will be back in action Saturday at home against the Orlando Snappers. First pitch is scheduled for 7 PM at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg, Florida.
(Carter Mansfield, Austin Peay State University)
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Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Aracena, 3b/p |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Hudson, ss |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Coker, 2b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Faircloth, cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Leonard, 1b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Samson, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Gonzalez, c |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Suonandajie, dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| Adams, rf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Baillio, dh |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Batting
HBP - Hudson, Gonzalez
Fielding
E - Hudson, Leonard 2, Aracena
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Mecchella, L |
5.0 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
| Mercado |
2.0 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| James |
0.0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Aracena |
0.1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Wild Pitches - Mecchella, Mercado 2, Aracena
Pitches/Strikes - Mecchella 81/49, Mercado 48/26, James 10/2, Aracena 4/3
Groundouts/Flyouts - Mecchella 6/7, Mercado 3/2, Aracena 1/0
Batters Faced - Mecchella 26, Mercado 12, James 2, Aracena 2
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
LeJeune, dh |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Furry, rf |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Fitzgerald, ph |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Brinling, cf |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Chapman, 3b |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bryan, 1b/c |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Niu, 2b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Gerteisen, lf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Leinenbach, pr/lf |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Stubbs, c |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sadler, ph/1b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Massa, ss |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Mangual, dh |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Mangual
3B - Brinling
RBI - Furry, Fitzgerald, Brinling, Chapman, Bryan 2, Massa, Mangual 2
HBP - LeJeune
Fielding
E - Niu, LeJeune
Pitching
Pitches/Strikes - Foster 54/38, Murphy 21/10, Boroski 26/15, Edwards 11/9
Groundouts/Flyouts - Foster 5/5, Murphy 0/2, Edwards 2/0
Batters Faced - Foster 16, Murphy 4, Boroski 6, Edwards 3
Diamond Dawgs
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Aracena, 3b/p |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Hudson, ss |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Coker, 2b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Faircloth, cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Leonard, 1b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Samson, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Gonzalez, c |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Suonandajie, dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| Adams, rf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Baillio, dh |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Batting
HBP - Hudson, Gonzalez
Fielding
E - Hudson, Leonard 2, Aracena
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Mecchella, L |
5.0 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
| Mercado |
2.0 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| James |
0.0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Aracena |
0.1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Wild Pitches - Mecchella, Mercado 2, Aracena
Pitches/Strikes - Mecchella 81/49, Mercado 48/26, James 10/2, Aracena 4/3
Groundouts/Flyouts - Mecchella 6/7, Mercado 3/2, Aracena 1/0
Batters Faced - Mecchella 26, Mercado 12, James 2, Aracena 2
Lightning
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
LeJeune, dh |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Furry, rf |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Fitzgerald, ph |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Brinling, cf |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Chapman, 3b |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bryan, 1b/c |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Niu, 2b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Gerteisen, lf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Leinenbach, pr/lf |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Stubbs, c |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sadler, ph/1b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Massa, ss |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Mangual, dh |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Mangual
3B - Brinling
RBI - Furry, Fitzgerald, Brinling, Chapman, Bryan 2, Massa, Mangual 2
HBP - LeJeune
Fielding
E - Niu, LeJeune
Pitching
Pitches/Strikes - Foster 54/38, Murphy 21/10, Boroski 26/15, Edwards 11/9
Groundouts/Flyouts - Foster 5/5, Murphy 0/2, Edwards 2/0
Batters Faced - Foster 16, Murphy 4, Boroski 6, Edwards 3
Scoring Plays
Bottom 1st
Brooks Bryan singled to left field, RBI. Logan Chapman advanced to second, out at second lf to 3b to 2b. Michael Furry scored.
Bottom 2nd
Hector Mangual doubled to left field, 2 RBI. Joseph Massa scored, unearned. Tyler Gerteisen scored, unearned.
Bottom 3rd
Brooks Bryan grounded out to 2b, RBI. Austin Brinling scored.
Bottom 5th
Austin Brinling tripled down the rf line, RBI. Michael Furry scored.
Logan Chapman grounded out to 2b, RBI. Austin Brinling scored.
Bottom 6th
Joseph Massa singled to third base, RBI. Andrew Leinenbach scored.
Michael Furry flied out to lf, SF, RBI. Drew Stubbs scored.
Top 7th
Kade Faircloth reached on a throwing error by p, advanced to third on the error. Kai Hudson scored, unearned. Timo Aracena scored, unearned.
Bottom 7th
Andrew Leinenbach advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brooks Bryan scored on a wild pitch.
Bottom 8th
Riley Fitzgerald singled down the lf line, RBI. Hector Mangual advanced to third. Joseph Massa scored.
All Plays
Top 1st
Timo Aracena flied out to cf.
1 out
Kai Hudson struck out swinging.
2 out
Matthew Coker grounded out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 1st
Tyler LeJeune flied out to cf.
1 out
Austin Brinling struck out looking.
2 out
Logan Chapman singled. Michael Furry advanced to second.
Brooks Bryan singled to left field, RBI. Logan Chapman advanced to second, out at second lf to 3b to 2b. Michael Furry scored.
3 out
Top 2nd
Kade Faircloth singled to center field.
Cal Leonard reached on a fielder's choice to second base. Kade Faircloth out at second 2b to ss.
1 out
Roman Samson reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b. Cal Leonard out at second ss to 2b.
2 out
Anthony Gonzalez flied out to 1b.
3 out
Bottom 2nd
Maika Niu reached on an error by ss.
Tyler Gerteisen reached on a fielder's choice to second base. Maika Niu out at second 2b to ss.
1 out
Drew Stubbs flied out to cf.
2 out
Joseph Massa singled. Tyler Gerteisen advanced to third.
Hector Mangual doubled to left field, 2 RBI. Joseph Massa scored, unearned. Tyler Gerteisen scored, unearned.
Tyler LeJeune reached on an error by 1b. Hector Mangual advanced to third.
Michael Furry flied out to rf.
3 out
Top 3rd
Fnu Suonandajie struck out swinging.
1 out
Caleb Adams flied out to lf.
2 out
David Baillio struck out swinging.
3 out
Bottom 3rd
Austin Brinling advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Logan Chapman flied out to rf. Austin Brinling advanced to third.
1 out
Brooks Bryan grounded out to 2b, RBI. Austin Brinling scored.
2 out
Maika Niu singled to shortstop.
Maika Niu advanced to second on an error by p, advanced to third on the error.
Tyler Gerteisen fouled out to 1b.
3 out
Top 4th
Timo Aracena flied out to ss.
1 out
Kai Hudson fouled out to 1b.
2 out
Matthew Coker struck out looking.
3 out
Bottom 4th
Drew Stubbs grounded out to 3b.
1 out
Joseph Massa flied out to cf.
2 out
Hector Mangual grounded out to 3b.
3 out
Top 5th
Kade Faircloth struck out swinging.
1 out
Cal Leonard grounded out to 2b.
2 out
Roman Samson grounded out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 5th
Tyler LeJeune flied out to lf.
1 out
Michael Furry singled to pitcher.
Austin Brinling tripled down the rf line, RBI. Michael Furry scored.
Logan Chapman grounded out to 2b, RBI. Austin Brinling scored.
2 out
Brooks Bryan reached on an error by 1b.
Maika Niu reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Brooks Bryan out at second ss to 2b.
3 out
Top 6th
Jack Murphy replaces Daniel Foster at pitcher.
Anthony Gonzalez hit by pitch.
Fnu Suonandajie struck out swinging.
1 out
Caleb Adams flied out to lf.
2 out
David Baillio lined out to 2b.
3 out
Bottom 6th
Juan Mercado replaces Tyler Mecchella at pitcher.
Tyler Gerteisen singled to center field.
Andrew Leinenbach replaces Tyler Gerteisen at .
Drew Stubbs singled. Andrew Leinenbach advanced to second.
Drew Stubbs advanced to second on a wild pitch. Andrew Leinenbach advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Joseph Massa singled to third base, RBI. Andrew Leinenbach scored.
Hector Mangual flied out to rf.
1 out
Tyler LeJeune hit by pitch. Joseph Massa advanced to second. Drew Stubbs advanced to third.
Michael Furry flied out to lf, SF, RBI. Drew Stubbs scored.
2 out
Austin Brinling struck out swinging.
3 out
Top 7th
Andrew Leinenbach replaces at left field.
Clayton Boroski replaces Jack Murphy at pitcher.
Kai Hudson hit by pitch. Timo Aracena advanced to second.
Matthew Coker struck out swinging.
1 out
Kai Hudson advanced to second on a passed ball. Timo Aracena advanced to third on a passed ball.
Kade Faircloth reached on a throwing error by p, advanced to third on the error. Kai Hudson scored, unearned. Timo Aracena scored, unearned.
Cal Leonard struck out swinging.
2 out
Roman Samson struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
3 out
Bottom 7th
Logan Chapman grounded out to 2b.
1 out
Maika Niu walked. Brooks Bryan advanced to second.
Andrew Leinenbach reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Maika Niu out at second ss to 2b. Brooks Bryan advanced to third.
2 out
Cade Sadler replaces Drew Stubbs at pinch hitter.
Andrew Leinenbach advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brooks Bryan scored on a wild pitch.
Cade Sadler grounded out to ss.
3 out
Top 8th
Brooks Bryan replaces at catcher.
Cade Sadler replaces at first base.
Grant Edwards replaces Clayton Boroski at pitcher.
Anthony Gonzalez grounded out to p.
1 out
Fnu Suonandajie struck out swinging.
2 out
Caleb Adams grounded out to 3b.
3 out
Bottom 8th
Keijhuan James replaces Juan Mercado at pitcher.
Hector Mangual walked. Joseph Massa advanced to second.
Timo Aracena replaces at pitcher.
Keijhuan James replaces Fnu Suonandajie at third base.
/ replaces Keijhuan James at .
Hector Mangual advanced to second on a wild pitch. Joseph Massa advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Tyler LeJeune grounded out to 1b unassisted.
1 out
Riley Fitzgerald replaces Michael Furry at pinch hitter.
Riley Fitzgerald singled down the lf line, RBI. Hector Mangual advanced to third. Joseph Massa scored.
Game called for run rule.
3 out
