Summer league baseball: Lightning walk it off, split doubleheader with Dawgs
LEESBURG — The Leesburg Lightning split their home doubleheader with the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs on Saturday night, winning game one on a walk off, 8-7, in seven innings and losing game two in a six-inning mercy rule, 8-0.
In game one, the walk-off swing came from outfielder Marco Dinges (Tallahassee CC) as he smacked a ball down the right field line all the way to the wall. Pinch-runner Ian Thornton, just slid under the tag and scored to give Leesburg the thrilling walk off victory.
Both were seven-inning ballgames due to the doubleheader format. There were five ties and six lead changes throughout the game one contest. Both teams battled every inning but Leesburg rallied in back-to-back innings for a thrilling walk off win.
More from Pat Thomas stadium: Leesburg tops Sanford, extends season-high win streak to 7
A proper sendoff for the GOAT: Leesburg Lightning honors Daily Commercial's Frank Jolley
On the mic: How Glenn Cowham informs, entertains Lightning fans at the Leesburg ballpark
After the Dawgs took a 5-3 in the top of the sixth, Lightning shortstop Ramses Cordova (Winthrop) had a clutch two-run single into center field that would tie the game once again.
Winter Park was not done though as they scored a pair in the top of the seventh, leading 7-5. Needing another rally, Leesburg stepped up in a big moment and rattled off four-straight doubles to start the bottom of the seventh and they would never record an out in the inning before walking it off.
Jakob Runnels (North Florida) put one down the left field line to score Noah Best (Birmingham Southern) who led off the inning with a double. The very next batter was newcomer Drew Cavanaugh (Eastern Florida St.) who lined a game-tying RBI double into the left center field gap to tie the game at seven.
It was Cavanaugh’s very first game with the team and he put on a show going 3 for 4 with the game-tying hit and a run scored. The Leesburg crowd welcomed him to the team with a standing ovation after the late inning swing.
Every single Lightning pitcher would allow a run as Winter Park scored in five of the seven innings. Right-hander Justin Gay threw the seventh inning and allowed one run on two hits. He would earn the win as the Leesburg offense made a late comeback, improving Gay’s record to 5-1. Game two was much quieter for the Lightning as they were shut out in an 8-0 mercy loss to the Dawgs.
Winter Park starting pitcher Jaxon Mills, threw a complete game shutout with six strong innings, allowing just four Leesburg hits. The Dawgs scored seven runs in the final three innings to secure the mercy-rule win.
The Lightning will enter the All-Star break with a 17-10 record and a game and a half back of the first-place Winter Park Diamond Dawgs in the Florida League standings. They will resume play on July 14 against the Seminole County Snappers. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Pat Thomas Stadium.
Tom Cavanaugh (Michigan State) is the communications intern for the Leesburg Lightning.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: College baseball: Lightning split doubleheader, head into All-Star break
