Lightning Drop Saturday Doubleheader to Squeeze

(Leesburg, Fla.)-The Leesburg Lightning weren’t able to find a rhythm offensively on Saturday night, dropping both games of a doubleheader to the Winter Garden Squeeze.

In Game 1, the Lightning were able to capitalize on an RBI single from LF Riley Fitzgerald in the top of the 2nd in a game that saw the Bolts as the “de facto” road team due to Friday’s game being postponed in Winter Garden.

The Lightning would hold the lead until the bottom of the 3rd, where the Winter Garden Squeeze were able to grab RBI base hits from 2B Garrett Rusch and a double from SS Titan Kamaka.

From the 3rd inning onwards, pitching was truly the factor, as both staffs only had to use two pitchers, with Tyler Donay throwing in 5 innings of work, the longest Lightning start of the season so far.

In the 7th, the Lightning would find a spark, leading off the inning with two runners on, but the Bolts weren’t able to capitalize, dropping the opening game 3-1.

In Game 2, Winter Garden scored two runs in the top of the 1st, one coming off an RBI single by Titan Kamaka and Max McClusky drawing a walk in a bases-loaded situation.

After the first, UCF right-hander Nick Vieira would keep the Squeeze scoreless into the middle innings. The Squeeze would not score another run until the final inning.

The Lightning would cut the lead in half in the 4th off a sacrifice from Keeton Burroughs, and in the 6th, Jordy Oriach would connect on an RBI single, tying things up heading into the 7th.

The Squeeze and the Lightning weren’t able to capitalize in the 7th, taking the game into extra innings. However, the Squeeze would put together a big inning, plating across six runs in the top of the 8th and taking an 8-2 lead over the Lightning.

The Bolts would fight back in the bottom half, cutting the lead to less than half, but Kiaden Perez shut the door on Leesburg, sweeping the doubleheader with an 8-5 victory.

The Lightning are back in action tonight before the prospect break early this week, welcoming in the DeLand Suns at home. The first pitch is at 7 p.m. 

Dylan Spaulding (University of South Florida)

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