sfoggi posted on July 19, 2011 21:46
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (July 19, 2011) – The Winter Haven Loggerheads suffered a 6-4 loss to the DeLand Suns Tuesday night at Chain of Lakes Park.
The loss drops Winter Haven to 9-19 on the season and last in the 2011 Florida League standings, while the Suns improve to 17-13.
Five Loggerheads notched a hit against the Suns pitching staff, while Andrew Sterling (Dickinson College), Jonathan Hall (Trinity), Sean O’Brien (Florida State), and Sean O’Grady (Benedictine College) each scored a run.
Winter Haven was slow to get on the board scoring a lone run in the second, and were kept scoreless through the following three frames. A three-run sixth brought the Loggerheads within two of the Suns, but would be the last time a Loggerhead would plate a run.
DeLand scored a pair of runs in the third, fifth, and sixth innings and outhit the Loggerheads 12-5. The Suns took advantage of three defensive miscues from Winter Haven and scored two runs off the errors.
Of the three Winter Haven pitchers to take the mound, J.J. McLaughlin (Pensacola State) and Joe Kelly (Saint Leo) have been fairly recently additions to the team.
In his second appearance with the Loggerheads, McLaughlin took the loss in four innings of work and recorded four strikeouts, while issuing one walk. Kelly, appearing for the first time in front of the home crowd, came on in relief and tossed two complete innings. The right-hander gave up two hits and recorded two punch-outs.
DeLand starting pitcher Chad Rood (Stetson) earned the win with 5 1/3 innings of work. Rood recorded four strikeouts and was credited with giving up all four Winter Haven runs. Stephen Bellantoni (USC-Aiken) and Brandon Turner (Bethune-Cookman) led the Suns with three hits apiece.
The Loggerheads will not look to turn things around and grab double-digits in the win column as they host the first-place Lightning Wednesday, July 20. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.