Lightning Drop Series Closer 5-3

DeLand, Fla.- The Leesburg Lightning (7-4) fell 5-3 in the third game of the series to the DeLand Suns (6-6) at Conrad Park. The loss snapped their three-game winning streak.

Leesburg starter Dylan Kelley (UNF) found himself in an early hole when Sean McArdle (Daytona State) singled in Devan Kruzinski (Siena), who had also singled to open the inning. The one run lead was the first time all series that the Suns found themselves ahead. 

The lead was short lived, with the Lightning bats coming through in the fourth. Cam Hill (Georgia College and State) smashed a fastball off of the third base bag and made it all the way to second to open up the inning. A wild pitch and Vaun Brown (Florida Southern) single later, and the Lightning had it all tied up at one. A few batters later, Clay Stearns (Troy) grounded into a double play, but brought home Brown to make it 2-1 Lightning.

Kelley, after allowing six baserunners through three innings, looked like he might turn in a short outing. He settled down nicely, allowing just two more baserunners and another run before exiting in the fifth in a 2-2 game. He also struck out four en route to a no decision. Coach Billings was happy with how he turned around his outing. 

“He started pitching with some confidence,” said Billings. I think he figured some things out tonight, which is good to see… I look forward to his next start.”

With the Lightning dipping into their lights-out bullpen in the sixth, Blayne Huter (South Florida State) struggled against a fired-up Suns lineup. After allowing the first three to reach on a pair of hits and a walk, he recorded two huge strikeouts. Coach Billings elected to go with four-year Lightning member Matthew Coles (Carson-Newman), who allowed a run to come in but stranded the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Lightning would get a crack at taking the lead in the seventh when Stearns walked and Chase Malloy (Jacksonville), who had come in to pinch run, made it all the way to third on a throwing error and a stolen base. The Lightning were unable to capitalize, stranding the go-ahead run on third. Leesburg runners stranded on the base paths, of which there were seven total in the game, came back to hurt the team in coach Billings’ eyes.

“We had some chances in some big spots to drive in big runs and we settled. In the end, every run means something.”

The Lightning cashed in on what was at the time the go-ahead run in the eighth after a Jesse Hall (Troy) sacrifice fly scored Naphis Llanos (Francis Marion), but the Suns would not go away. Coles, who was tagged with the loss, recorded the first out of the bottom of the eighth on just one pitch, but three straight singles into left put him in a tough spot. After striking out the next batter, Joey Aden (Ohio State) singled through the gap into left, scoring two runs and giving DeLand a 5-3 lead, which they would not relinquish.

The ninth inning certainly presented a golden opportunity for the Lightning, who got Vaun Brown and Chase Malloy, who both run well, on the base paths after being hit by pitches. After a wild pitch from Logan Griffith (NC A&T), the Lightning had two runners in scoring position for JD Stubbs (Georgia Gwinnett). Unfortunately, he popped out into left field to end the game.

The Lightning will be in Sanford for a doubleheader against the Seminole County Snappers (2-9) on Monday, as they wrap up this past Tuesday’s suspended game and then play their scheduled game. Game one, which was suspended in the bottom of the fifth, will start at 5 pm, with the back half of the doubleheader still slated for 6:30 pm.

Matias Weilmann (Ithaca College)

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