The Lightning Run Rule the Diamond Dawgs 14-6 After Another Offensive Barrage

Winter Park, Fla- After getting a late start to the scoring parade, the Lightning end up scoring 14 runs in the last 5 innings. The team has now scored 64 runs through the first six games of the season.
 
Both southpaw starting pitchers, Riley Fitzgerald and Tyler Mecchella cruised through the first two frames throwing up zeros before the bats started to wake up. Eric Entriken had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third to give Winter Park a 1-0 lead. 
 
That lead would be short-lived as the Leesburg offense would get going in the 4th starting with a hit by pitch that allowed Charlie Keller to reach first with nobody out. Two batters later, 1B James Strom rocketed a two-run homer over the right field wall in just his second at bat of the summer. Shortly after, RF Marco Mueses and LF Eli Thurmond would have back-to-back RBI doubles to extend the lead to 4-1. A sacrifice fly from SS Ledger Pleasant then made it 5-1 to cap off the 5 run inning. 
 
Later in the bottom of the 5th, Winter Park would get those runs back starting with consecutive bases loaded walks followed by a 2 RBI single from Luis Rivero to tie the game at 5-5. The Diamond Dawgs would add one more after a sacrifice fly gave them the 6-5 leading heading to the 6th. 
 
It seemed like it would be too much to ask for the offense to come back and help the struggling arms, but they would do more than just keep the team in the game. In the 6th, the Lightning would be gifted a tying run after the Diamond Dawgs hit 2B Ryan Jenkins with the bases loaded. Extra hitter Juan Orozco would then add a 2 RBI double followed by an error at third that scored another run to give the Lightning a 10-6 lead. 
 
Despite struggling in the 5th, the Leesburg bullpen settled in, allowing the offense to add some more insurance in the 7th with a solo shot from Marco Mueses to make it 11-6. Then in the 8th, the Lightning tacked on some more after a sacrifice fly from Orozco scored CF Julian Irizarry to extend the lead to 12-6. Strom came through again and added a two RBI single that gave Leesburg a 14-6 lead headed into the 8th. 
 
In the bottom of the inning, Nick Delnegro sealed the deal giving Leesburg its third win and first mercy rule victory of the season. 
 
It's no surprise that Coach Billings touched on how dominant his team's offense has been to open the 2025 season. 
 
“I’m not sure if we’ve ever swung it this well to start off the season," said Coach Billings. “Especially with our pitchers trying to figure stuff out and some of them trying to figure out how to find the strike zone a little bit, we need as much cover as our hitters can provide. They did a great job tonight of providing us with some cover.”
 
In his first game back with the Lightning, James Strom would waste no time putting himself towards the top of the teams RBI count, finishing with 5 altogether. He described what it felt like to be back in a Leesburg uniform and how the team chemistry is coming together.
 
“It's great, I’m new here this year after coming in late,” said the first baseman. “From what I’ve seen it looks like a great team, great chemistry, everyone gets along, and it should be a great year”
 
Leesburg will try to stay on the winning side of things and capture its first series win against Winter Park on Friday June 6th. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Pat Thomas Stadium. 

Vic Maslia (Syracuse University)

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