sfoggi posted on June 28, 2011 21:19
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (June 28, 2011) - The Lightning played by far their most exciting game of the season Tuesday night at Winter Haven. Leesburg knocked off the Loggerheads in extra innings, 9-7.
Through five innings, the Lightning led 2-0. Leesburg (12-5) would have had more runs, but they had a string of bad luck in the second and third innings. With runners on the corners in the second, Mike Miller (Dallas Baptist) hit a hard liner that looked like it might get over the left fielders head, but was caught for an out. In the same situation the following inning, Tom Sicking (Texas-Pan American) ripped a ball right at the shortstop, who then doubled up Chase Durham (Howard College) at first.
Their luck would come back, though, in a big way in the top of the sixth when they would score four runs off of some good hits with runners in scoring position. With men on second and third and two down, Lightning shortstop Jacob Tillotson (Florida) hit a perfectly placed ball down the left field line that would go for a triple and score both runs. Hunter Mayfield (Rollins) would drive in Tillotson on the next pitch and the Lightning took a 6-0 lead.
That would seem to be enough for Leesburg starter Nic Kovacs (Lake Sumter CC), who, despite a great start in his last outing, was coming off a loss. Through five innings, Kovacs only allowed two hits, both to Winter Haven shortstop Michael Heller (Miami-Dade). But in the sixth inning, Kovacs ran out of gas and the Loggerheads capitalized. They scored five runs off of four hits and Kovacs was removed from the game.
His replacement was Zane Evans (Georgia Tech), who has played first base and catcher exclusively for the Lightning, but has pitched in his baseball career. He threw hard and was able to get Leesburg out of the jam in the bottom frame of the sixth with the team still leading. In his second inning of work, an error would come back to haunt the Lightning and the Loggerheads tied the game at 6-all.
It would come down to the final innings. In the eighth, Loggerhead third baseman Kyle Campbell (Stetson) made a spectacular play that robbed Mike Albaladejo (Florida Atlantic) of a probable double. Winter Haven escaped the top of the eighth and reliever Mike Clutterbuck (Macomb CC) would enter the game to pitch for the Lightning.
A leadoff double and an ensuing error would put a runner on third with no outs, and a single later in the inning by Sean O’Brien (Florida State) would plate the seventh run of the game for the Loggerheads. O’Brien, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for Winter Haven, delivered in both of his at-bats, driving home two runs.
The final frame was started by a great at-bat by Troy Drummond (Delaware State), who drew a walk and advanced to second on a gutsy sacrifice bunt with two strikes by Nick Octavi (Harford CC). Drummond would advance to third on a hard-hit groundball by Durham. The Loggerheads would be two strikes away from victory when Drummond tied the game on a passed ball to send it into extra innings.
The 10th inning looked grim for the Lightning before Tillotson reached with a two-out single. Mayfield drove a ball down the right field line and Head Coach Dave Therneau held Tillotson at third. With two outs and two on, Miller stepped to the dish needing a big hit and he delivered. He crushed a fastball deep to centerfield for a triple that scored two runs.
“I put a good swing on it,” said Miller. “Honestly, I thought he was camped out under it, but it kept going.” Miller went 2-for-6 with three RBIs.
Closer Max Rusch (Flagler) was absolutely dominant, as per usual. He would face four batters in the ninth, striking out three. In the 10th with the game on the line, Rusch struck out two more and induced the final batter to pop out.
“I got some swings and threw a lot of strikes,” said Rusch. “I’m comfortable in that spot (as closer) and I’ve continued my success from spring.”
“Again, we have to correct the mental and physical mistakes,” said Therneau. “That’s not the way you want to win, but we won and that’s what counts.”
The Lightning will return to Pat Thomas Stadium on Thursday, June 30 as they host DeLand at 7 p.m.
Nick Beardi (Medaille College)