sfoggi posted on June 21, 2011 22:06
THE VILLAGES, Fla. (June 21, 2011) - The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (9-3) stopped the streaking DeLand Suns with a 9-7 win at The Villages.
“That’s a great bounce back win for us,” said Head Coach Kevin Davidson.
DeLand played as the Villages Sluggers, as part of a three-game series the Florida Collegiate Summer League puts on for the Villages community. This is the third year the FCSL has done this.
Ted Blackman (Coastal Carolina), Brad Hutton (Ohio State University), and Austin Chubb (Florida Southern) led the way for Winter Park. Blackman went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored, and three stolen bases. Hutton went 3-for-3 with three singles, two RBIs, and a run scored. Chubb went 3-for-6 with two singles and a double.
“I think everybody was just seeing the ball well,” said Hutton.
DeLand struck first by scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning. However, the Diamond Dawgs answered back in the top of the second inning with two runs of their own.
Both teams had a four-run fourth inning. After already scoring two runs in the inning and two outs, with Hutton on third, Blackman hit an RBI double to centerfield, and then stole third base. Dustin DeMuth (Indiana University) followed with a single to right centerfield, scoring Blackman giving the Diamond Dawgs a 6-1 lead.
Nonetheless, the Suns battled as they fought to keep the game close. With two outs and one run already home in the inning, Aaron Silbar (Columbia University) hit a bases clearing double down the right field line making Winter Park’s lead 6-5.
Both teams added one run each in the sixth inning making the score 7-6.
As the game progressed, there were a few key moments in the late goings for the Diamond Dawgs. In the top of the seventh inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, the Suns intentionally walked Blackman to load the bases. Winter Park could not make DeLand pay, as they did not plate a run in that inning.
“That was just a moment where we didn’t come through,” said Davidson.
In the top of the eighth, with a runner on second and no outs, the Diamond Dawgs proceeded to go down in order as the Suns managed to keep the score at 7-6.
However, in the top of the ninth, Winter Park finally got the insurance runs they had been looking for. With runners on first and second, and one out, Blackman came through again, as he had all night, with an RBI single to leftfield. DeMuth followed that with an RBI single of his own, giving the Dawgs a three run lead.
DeLand fought to the end, pushing one run across in the bottom of the ninth, but they came up short as Matt Kimbrel (Shelton State Community College) recorded his second save of the season.
“They didn’t make it easy on us,” said Davidson.
The Diamond Dawgs will take on the Orlando Freedom at home on Wednesday, June 22. Ben Brown (State College of Florida) will be on the mound for Winter Park, with first pitch slated for 7 p.m.
Mitchell Adams (UCF)