sfoggi posted on July 25, 2011 20:46
LEESBURG, Fla. (July 25, 2011) - The Leesburg Lightning (25-10) topped the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (20-10) in a tight 6-4 ball game, the first of three meetings this week.
The game was played at Pat Thomas Stadium, but the Diamond Dawgs were the home team due to a rain out that washed away a Winter Park home game last Thursday, July 21 against the Lightning.
Winter Park starting pitcher Jake Fisher (University of Oklahoma) got the no decision, in which he went six innings and gave up three earned runs while striking out four, but that effort would not be enough as Leesburg would come out on top in the end. Fisher’s counterpart, Dylan Ortega (Brevard Community College), tossed five innings of one run ball, but he would get a no decision as well.
The pitchers of decision were Kory Brooker (Seminole State Community College) and Reed Reznicek (Indiana University). Brooker picked up his first win of the season in relief by tossing 2 2/3 hitless innings. Reznicek received his second loss of the season in one-third inning of work, as he was responsible for the Lightning’s final two runs.
The scoring began from the very beginning, as Leesburg jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Winter Park had to wait until the bottom of the third inning to get on the board when Ortega gave up his lone run of the game on a Ted Blackman (Coastal Carolina University) home run. The solo shot was Blackman’s third home run of the season, and he seems to have the Lightning’s number as all three of his blasts have come against them.
Neither team would score again until the sixth inning. In the top of the frame, Leesburg got a home run of their own from Zane Evans (Georgia Tech), to make it a 3-1 ball game. However, the Dawgs would take the lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out and runners on first and second, Michael Danner (Polk State College) hit a double to plate Dustin DeMuth (Indiana University) and B.J. Zimmerman (University of Tampa). Danner, who went 2-for-4 on the night, advanced to third on the play due to an error by the left fielder. He then scored on an Alex Cruz (Georgia Tech) single, which gave the Dawgs a 4-3 lead.
Nonetheless, the Lightning immediately answered in the next inning with a run, as they tied the game up at four runs apiece. The game headed into the ninth at a deadlock, but it is where the Lightning found the runs that would win them the game. With two outs and the bases loaded, Michael Miller (Dallas Baptist) came through in the clutch with a single that gave the Lightning their fifth and sixth runs.
Winter Park has now dropped two straight ball games and are two and a half games back of the Lightning.
“Were not pressing by any means,” said Assistant Coach Scott Hilinski, after the Dawgs Sunday loss to the Orlando Freedom. “Our guys aren’t losing any confidence.”
The Dawgs will certainly have their work cut out for them as Tuesday’s (July 26) contest at Leesburg is a must win game if they are to have a shot at the number one seed for the playoffs. The game is set to start at 7 p.m.
Mitchell Adams (UCF)