WINTER PARK, Fla. (June 7, 2011) - The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (4-0) won their fourth straight game start the season as they 10-run ruled the visiting DeLand Suns (1-3) in seven innings, 13-2.

 

“That’s just our lineup doing what they do,” said Head Coach Kevin Davidson.

 

Six different Diamond Dawgs had multi-hit games.

 

“It’s been all of us swinging the bats,” said second baseman Todd Hankins (Seminole State Community College).

 

Hankins was selected in the 15^th round by the Cleveland Indians as the No. 458 overall pick. He found out prior to the game as he saw his name show up on a friend’s phone.

 

“I was, mainly, just relieved. It was pretty cool to see my name pop up,” said Hankins. “We [his family] have a big decision to make.”

 

Hankins made the day even more memorable as he went 2-for-4 with a triple, home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

 

In the first inning, both teams went down 1-2-3. However, in the top of the second inning, the Suns struck first as right fielder Brett Knief (Seminole State Community College) led off the inning with a triple. He was driven in on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Blake Prince (University of North Florida).

 

The Diamond Dawgs responded with one run in the bottom of the frame. Catcher Austin Chubb (Florida Southern) led off the inning with a single to left field. First baseman B.J Zimmerman (State College of Florida) then drew a walk. Eventually, the bases were loaded for third baseman Albert Lefran (Nova Southeastern University) with one out as he tied things up at 1-all with a sacrifice fly to left field.

 

DeLand scratched across another early run in the third inning. Center fielder Stephen Bellantoni (USC-Aiken) hit a two out single to centerfield, and then stole second base. He scored on first baseman JT Warmoth’s (Embry-Riddle) double to left center.

 

That would be it for the Suns offensively, as Dawgs starting pitcher Ben Brown (State College of Florida) earned his first win of the season by tossing six solid innings while striking out three and allowing two runs on just five hits.

 

In the bottom of the third, Winter Park responded back as center fielder Ted Blackman (St. Petersburg Community College) started the inning off with a double to left center. That was followed by a Hankins triple, in which he’d score on the play on an overthrown ball from the outfield.

 

Then, in the fifth inning, with a 2-0 count, Zimmerman came through in the clutch when he hit a three run home run off of new relief pitcher Jeremiah Cothiere (Palm Beach Atlantic) on an inside fastball.

 

“I was just looking for one pitch, and he threw it,” said Zimmerman.

 

The Dawgs had a 6-2 lead and never looked back after that.

 

“That set the tone and created some momentum for our guys to build on,” said Davidson.

 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with one out and no one on, Hankins left the yard with a home run over the left field fence. The next six Diamond Dawgs all reached base safely and scored to put the game completely out of reach.

 

Winter Park will next take on the Leesburg Lightning Wednesday, June 8 in a battle of the undefeated. Pitcher of the Week, Jeremy Strawn (State College of Florida), will be on the hill with the first pitch slated to be thrown at 7 p.m.