Squeeze Move Into Third Place With Victory Over Lightning

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — The Leesburg Lightning had not lost back-to-back games all season entering Saturday night, but the Winter Garden Squeeze made sure that streak came to an end.

The Squeeze (8-9) defeated the Lightning (12-5) 6-2 in Game 3 of the series at Horizon Park, moving into third place in the Florida Collegiate Summer League standings.

Winter Garden set the tone early in the bottom of the first inning. Fabian Antonsanti (Stetson) drew a leadoff walk before Edwin Melendez (Undecided) drove him home with a double down the left-field line to give the Squeeze a 1-0 lead.

The Squeeze added two more runs in the second. Josh Bell (Florida A&M) led off the inning with a single to right-center field and later stole second base. Brody Bellomo (Georgia Southwestern) followed with an RBI single through the right side to score Bell and make it 2-0. Later in the inning, Antonsanti grounded out to the pitcher, allowing Bellomo to score and extend the lead to 3-0.

Leesburg answered in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Turner Gross (Western Carolina), scoring Kaden Thompson (Georgia Southern), who had doubled earlier in the inning.

Winter Garden responded immediately in the bottom half. Melendez lined his second double of the night off the right-field wall, and Cael Reish (Flagler) followed with an infield single that scored Melendez and restored the Squeeze's three-run advantage.

Brady Montrowl (UCF) started on the mound for Winter Garden and struck out five over three innings. Jacob Thomas (Eckerd) earned the victory in relief, tossing two scoreless innings while recording four strikeouts.

The Squeeze added an insurance run in the sixth inning. After Reish reached on a walk, Bellomo ripped an RBI double down the left-field line to score him and make it 5-1.

"It's amazing to drive my teammates in, but the job's not finished. We have to come out and make a statement on Monday," Bellomo said.

Later in the inning, Antonsanti delivered an RBI single that scored Bellomo and pushed the lead to 6-1.

In the seventh, Cory Banasiak (Seminole State) hit an RBI double to score the Lightning's second run of the game. Marcello Cortalle (Jacksonville) added a solo home run in the ninth inning to cap the scoring.

Rhys Rego (Undecided) followed Thomas with 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits. Keith Holden (Rollins) and Caleb Clanton (Santa Fe) closed out the game, with Holden recording two outs and Clanton tossing the final two innings.

Winter Garden's pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts in the victory.

The series finale is scheduled for Monday at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Zach Moore (University of Florida)