Summer league baseball: Leesburg Lightning split doubleheader on the road
The Leesburg Lightning split with the Seminole County Snappers in a pair of ball games Friday night at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
As the home team in game one, Leesburg lost 3-2 on a crushing blow in the last inning. However, the Lightning dominated as the away team in game two with a five-inning mercy rule win, 13-3.
Trailing by a run in the seventh with two outs, the Snappers delivered a clutch two-run single to left field off right-handed pitcher Ivan VanBeverhoudt Jr. (Anderson) to take the lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Seminole County would close out the Bolts in order to seal the victory.
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Starting pitcher Layton Perry (Jacksonville) was sensational once again as he allowed just one run on two hits and five strikeouts. A solo home run from the Snappers in the third inning would be the only hiccup in his start.
Catcher Jakob Runnels (North Florida) hit his fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning to tie the game at one. Runnels was incredible in game two as well going 2 for 3 with a double and three runs batted in.
The loss would go to lefty reliever Zach Mizrahi (Daytona St) who struck out four but was responsible for the two runs in the seventh that would score for Seminole County. Mizrahi is 1-1 on the season.
Game two was fully controlled by the Lightning as they posted six runs in the first inning, scoring 13 total runs in the first four innings. Five straight singles to start the ball game followed by a Travis Stapleton (Polk St.) grand-slam home run would put Leesburg ahead 6-0 before ever recording an out. Nine of the eleven Lighting hitters would reach base and score in the wire-to-wire victory.
The starting nod went to Cody Bruns (Mars Hill in the nightcap contest as he earned his second win of the summer, allowing three runs over three innings with a pair of strikeouts. Right hander Tanner Walker (Saint Johns River St.) and crafty lefty Cameron Sereda (Tampa) would close out the game, throwing one inning each and combining for three strikeouts.
It was a standout day for Lightning shortstop Ramses Cordova (Winthrop) as he peppered the baseball all over the park going a combined 4 for 4 with two RBIs and a walk across both games. His defensive play continues to impress as well.
The Lightning move to 18-11 on the year and remain a game and a half back of first place in the Florida League standings with six regular-season games left to play. They face Seminole County for the series finale at home on Saturday night at 7 at Pat Thomas Stadium-Buddy Lowe Field.
Tom Cavanaugh (Michigan State) is the communications intern for the Leesburg Lightning.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: College baseball: Leesburg Lightning split doubleheader on the road
