Pitching Shines Bright in 5-1 Win

Leesburg, Fla.- Death, taxes, and Leesburg Lightning pitchers throwing a gem.

In the second game of the series, the Leesburg Lightning (7-3) took a 5-1 win against the DeLand Suns (5-6) on Friday night. With the win, the Lightning improved to 4-0 at home this season and have now won three straight.

Tyler Tipton (FGCU) got the start for the first time this season, but immediately found himself in a hole against the Suns. After loading up the bases with just one gone, Tipton punched out Bryce Mordecki (Siena) on 3 pitches. He flashed some impressive defense the next pitch, tracking down a comebacker that had come off his glove before flipping it right from the leather to strand the bases loaded. Despite tonight not Tipton’s best performance, Coach Rich Billings was happy with what he saw from his starter.

“He didn't have his best stuff tonight. His offspeed stuff wasn’t great, but he really battled through it.”

The offense wouldn’t wake up for the Lightning until the third when Jordan Griffin (Carson-Newman) reached first on a perfectly placed bunt single. A hit-by-pitch and wild pitch later from Suns starter Mike McCully (Siena), a Cam Hill (Georgia College and State) groundout made it 1-0. 

The Suns wasted no time getting back into things, thanks to a Joe Burke (Kentucky Wesleyan) blast over the left field wall. The RBI put Burke in a tie with Tyler Benzel for most RBI in FCSL history with 67. 

But that would be all she wrote for the Suns offense, who’s slashing line was pound-for-pound the best in the league entering the game. Tipton finished out the fourth and pitched a scoreless fifth before exiting the game. His five innings of one run baseball is tied for the longest outing by a Leesburg starter this season. Tipton, who threw just 63 pitches, was happy with his efficiency.

“I was just working with what I had tonight,” said Tipton. “I was trying to work through some quick innings and get back to the dugout

The pitching following Tipton was dominant as usual. Gerry Kelly (Undecided), who pitched for the second straight night and earned the win, didn’t allow a hit over two innings. After him, Connor Gleeson (Gardner-Webb) and Zach Henderson (Valdosta State) combined for just one hit over two shutout innings.

The Lightning offense, which usually takes a few innings to get going, turned things up in the last three innings. A Chase Malloy (Jacksonville) leadoff single opened up the sixth before a stolen base and a throwing error got him to third. A bizarre play scored Malloy when a Jesse Hall (Troy) grounder to third prompted a throw home. It was on line and surely would have gotten Malloy at the plate, but instead came off of his helmet. The run gave the Lightning the lead for good.

The offense continued to click in the seventh, thanks to a Vaun Brown (Florida Southern) missile into right that got him all the way to third. Luke Harper (UNA) scored him on a sacrifice fly to center the batter after, and Coach Billings had nothing but praise about what Brown’s hit did for the team’s momentum.

“He’s so much fun to watch, because he does stuff that leaves you speechless… that was cool to allow our fans to see what he’s capable of. It brought so much energy to the stadium”

Leesburg would tack on two more in the 8th in Malloy and Hall on some heads up baserunning and defensive errors by the Suns. DeLand, who entered the game third in fielding percentage in the FCSL, committed three errors. 

The Lightning will look to complete the three game sweep over the Suns when they clash in DeLand tomorrow at 7pm. 

Matias Weilmann (Ithaca College)

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