Game Two Win Earns Split for Squeeze

Game 1

The opening game of the doubleheader featured a classic pitchers' duel between Sanford's Liam Furey (Columbus State) and Winter Garden's Nick Rich (Embry-Riddle). Both starters delivered scoreless outings, with Rich tossing four shutout innings and Furey working seven scoreless frames.

Colson May (Lake-Sumter State) took over in relief for the Squeeze and added two scoreless innings, sending the game into extra innings tied at 0-0.

Winter Garden was unable to capitalize on the international tiebreaker in the top of the eighth. Sanford reliever Tyler Garcia (Lake-Sumter State) struck out the side, stranding the automatic runner at second base.

The River Rats executed in the bottom half of the inning. AJ Seymour (Rollins) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run to third, and Jordan Marlo (Florida SouthWestern) followed with a line-drive single to left field, giving Sanford a 1-0 walk-off victory.

Game 2

The second game of the doubleheader followed a similar script to the opener, but this time the Squeeze struck first.

Winter Garden wasted little time getting on the board. Peyson Garcia (St. Johns River State) ripped a double down the left-field line to open the game and moved into scoring position. Alex Galan (Lake-Sumter State) followed with a single up the middle to drive home Garcia and give the Squeeze a 1-0 lead.

An inning later, Carlos Fuenmayor (Lake-Sumter State) launched a solo home run to left field, extending the advantage to 2-0. The blast marked Fuenmayor's first home run since he was 12 years old, prompting an emotional celebration from the catcher.

It appeared Winter Garden was on its way to a comfortable victory when Ayden Elixson (Flagler) scored after Galan reached on an error by Sanford second baseman Miguel Gonzalez (Daytona State), pushing the lead to 3-0.

However, the River Rats stormed back in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Drew Pynes (Georgia Southern) cleared the bases with a three-run double, knotting the game at 3-3.

The Squeeze responded immediately in the top of the seventh. Brody Bellomo (Georgia Southwestern) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Landon Towns (Florida SouthWestern State). Bellomo moved to third on a groundout by Osjun Rivas (Undecided) before Fabian Antonsanti (Stetson) delivered an RBI single into left-center field to restore Winter Garden's lead.

The Squeeze added an insurance run later in the inning when Peyson Garcia reached on an infield single and Antonsanti scored on a throwing error, extending the advantage to 5-3.

The rubber match between the two clubs is scheduled for Sunday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Horizon Park.

Zach Moore (Florida)