Rats Unable to Close Out Leesburg, Game 3 Monday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
SANFORD, Fla. – The Sanford River Rats were unable to close out the Florida Collegiate Summer League Championship Series on Sunday night, falling 13-8 to the Leesburg Lightning at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium as the best-of-three series was evened at one game apiece.
Leesburg took advantage of an early Sanford miscue to score twice in the first inning. A River Rats error on a sacrifice fly allowed the game's first run to score before Preston Murphy added an RBI groundout to make it 2-0. Murphy drove in another run with a groundout in the third, and Jack Waddingham's RBI single in the fourth extended the Lightning's lead to 4-0.
Sanford answered with a six-run fourth inning to seize the lead. Jordan Marlo scored on a fielder's choice that was misplayed by the Leesburg defense before Michael Thomas delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to one. A wild pitch tied the game at 4-4, and AJ Seymour capped the rally with a two-run home run to put the River Rats in front, 6-4.
The Lightning responded immediately in the fifth. Marcello Cortale singled home a run before Dylan Green doubled to left field to tie the game at 6-6.
Leesburg regained the lead in the sixth when Andon Gray lined a two-run single to center. Charles Keller followed with a two-run home run to left, extending the advantage to 10-6.
The Lightning added three more runs in the seventh. Cory Banasiak drove in a run with a double before Waddingham added a two-run double to push the lead to 13-6.
Sanford answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh when Tyler Meyer singled through the left side to score Marlo and Braeden Weckman, but the River Rats were unable to mount another comeback as the score remained 13-8.
Seymour led Sanford's offense with a two-run home run, while Meyer drove in three runs. For Leesburg, Keller finished with three RBIs, including the pivotal two-run homer, while Gray added two RBIs and Waddingham drove in three to power the Lightning's attack.
The two teams will meet one final time Monday night at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg. The winner-take-all Game 3 will decide the 2026 Florida Collegiate Summer League champion and the Whiting Cup.
Alejandro Landers (Elon University)