The Bats Come Alive in the Later Innings to Give Leesburg a 6-3 Victory Against the Suns

DeLand, Fla- The Lightning were able to take advantage of a struggling Suns team, handing them their 6th straight loss. Even on a quieter night for Coach Billings offense, the bats still put up 6 runs in the win. 
 
Leesburg grabbed its first lead of the game in the 2nd after extra hitter Trey Craft rocketed a single up the middle to make it 1-0. Unfortunately, C Nicholas Wrubluski was thrown out at home which spoiled the Lightning’s hopes of putting up an early crooked number. 
 
Lightning starter, RHP Lucas Perez would throw 3 innings of shutout ball, giving up just 2 hits and a pair of walks while striking out 3. LHP Sebastian Miller would come in to relieve Perez, throwing 2 more innings of scoreless ball without allowing a hit. 
 
In the 6th, Leesburg would add another run after a balk from Suns pitcher Esteban Torres brought RF Charlie Keller home, extending the lead to 2-0. DeLand’s offense would start to come alive in the bottom of the inning starting with an RBI single followed by a double that tied the game at 2-2. A sacrifice fly then gave the Suns a 3-2 lead heading into the final three frames. 
 
Like the Lightning have done all year, the offense would answer right back in the next inning with a RBI single from Wrubluski to tie the game at 3-3. With two runners still aboard, CF Julian Irizarry would hit a ball just past first base down the line to plate two more runs giving Leesburg the lead 5-3. 
 
A sacrifice fly by 1B James Strom in the 8th would give the Lightning another insurance run making it 6-3 with the Suns down to their last 6 outs. 
 
DeLand would threaten in the 8th, loading the bases with two outs before RHP Steven Rojas was able to get a much needed punchout to leave three stranded heading to the 9th. 
 
RHP Blake Tipmore was tasked with getting the save and after getting the first batter to ground out, he would get back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. Tipmore notched his first save of the season while improving his ERA to 1.00 in his first 5 appearances. 
 
After the game, Coach Billings described the one simple wish he has for all the pitchers he sends out to the mound night in and night out. 
 
“Any college pitcher can get three outs,” said Billings. “Right now, for most of them, that's what I'm asking them to do. I'm really trying to get them good at getting three outs because if they can get three outs then maybe they can get six outs and if they can get six then maybe they can get nine. And that's just how you progress them through the summer without wearing them out because we want all the pitchers that are here now to be here at the end of the summer.” 
 
The Lightning will go for the sweep on Saturday June 14 back in DeLand. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Melching Field. 
 
Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

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