Lightning Rally Falls Short in 7-6 Walk-Off Loss to Snappers

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Leesburg Lightning erased a four-run deficit and briefly took the lead in the eighth inning, but the Orlando Snappers answered with runs in each of the final two frames to hand Leesburg a 7-6 walk-off loss Monday night at The First Academy.

Orlando jumped in front early, scoring twice in the second inning on a two-run single by Logan Chalk before adding another run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to build a 5-1 advantage.

The Lightning got on the board in the fourth when Hudson Reed lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Ledger Pleasant. Leesburg remained within striking distance thanks to strong relief work from Jose Aragort, who tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out two after entering in the fifth.

The comeback began in the seventh inning. After a wild pitch brought home Reed, Preston Murphy followed with an RBI single to center field that scored Charlie Keller and cut the deficit to 5-3.

Leesburg completed the rally in the eighth. Dylan Green ripped an RBI double down the right-field line to score Pleasant, and moments later Green crossed the plate on a balk to tie the game at 5-5. Keller then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home KT Thompson and giving the Lightning their first lead of the night at 6-5.

The Snappers answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth. With runners on second and third, a wild pitch allowed Luke Mottola to score the tying run and even the game at 6-6.

In the ninth, Orlando loaded the bases before Mason Resmondo scored on a balk, giving the Snappers a 7-6 walk-off victory.

Green paced the Lightning offense, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, a walk and a run scored. Thompson added two hits and scored once, while Reed tripled and drove in a run. Murphy contributed an RBI single, and Keller drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and an earlier RBI opportunity.

Pleasant scored twice and collected a hit, while Leesburg stole six bases as a team. Thompson, Keller, Turner Gross, Marcello Cortale, Gabriel Campos and Pleasant each recorded a stolen base.

On the mound, Ben Clenney started for the Lightning and struck out five over 4 1/3 innings. JD Aragort kept Orlando off the board in relief, while Andre Bilbao Jr. recorded two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.

Leesburg finished with nine hits and carried a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the eighth, but Orlando's late response proved enough to secure the victory.

The loss dropped the Lightning to 10-3 on the season. Leesburg will face Orlando again Tuesday at 7 p.m. at The First Academy.

Adam Rothschild (Susquehanna University)