Lightning Fall to Rats in Game One of Playoffs
LEESBURG, Fla - The Leesburg Lightning drop game one of the Florida League semi-final series against the Sanford River Rats in a 9-1 seven-inning, mercy rule loss on Monday night at Pat Thomas Stadium-Buddy Lowe Field.
The ballgame was completely dominated by Sanford as they never trailed throughout the contest, opening up with a two-run homer off the bat of first baseman Jeff Liquori (Florida Southern) in the top of the first inning.
Lightning starting pitcher Layton Perry (Jacksonville) allowed four runs on four hits in four and two thirds innings pitched. He would pick up his first loss of the season, moving to a 3-1 record.
The only run the Lightning would score came in the bottom of the third when second baseman Noah Best (Birmingham Southern) drove in shortstop Ramses Cordova (Winthrop) with an RBI groundout to second base.
Errors would infect Leesburg all night long as they had five errors and only four hits in the game. Sanford would capitalize with seven runs in the final three innings of play to put themselves in position for the early mercy rule victory.
Three more Lightning pitchers - Cameron Sereda (Tampa), Mason Morello (Amy-WestPoint) and Ivan VanBeverhoudt Jr. (Anderson) would throw in the loss, combining for the final two and one third innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.
Leesburg will need to bounce back and even up the series on Tuesday night in game two on the road against the Rats or its season will be over. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm ET at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
Tom Cavanaugh, (Michigan State University)
Tom Cavanaugh - 07/25/22 10:58pm
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Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Fields, cf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Fitts, rf |
4 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Liquori, 1b |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Warde, ss |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Lora, c |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Mach, 2b |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Rikeman, dh |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Shuler, dh |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Yeager, 3b |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Brazil, lf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Fields, Brazil
HR - Liquori
RBI - Fields, Liquori 3, Lora, Yeager, Brazil
HBP - Lora
Baserunning
SB - Shuler
CS - Fields, Fitts
Fielding
E - Warde
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Wainright |
4.0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
| Moreno, W |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| Garner |
0.2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Holcomb |
0.1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Wild Pitches - Wainright
Pitches/Strikes - Wainright 75/45, Moreno 35/18, Garner 9/5, Holcomb 7/5
Groundouts/Flyouts - Wainright 3/4, Moreno 1/3, Garner 1/1
Batters Faced - Wainright 17, Moreno 8, Garner 3, Holcomb 2
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
Brinling, cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Best, 2b |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavanaugh, c |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Dinges, dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Stapleton, dh |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Cervantes, rf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Furry, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nowells, 3b |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Hadley, pr |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Thornton, 1b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Runnels, ph |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cordova, ss |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Batting
2B - Brinling
RBI - Best
HBP - Best
Baserunning
SB - Best
Fielding
E - Brinling, Best 2, Cervantes, Thornton
Pitching
Pitches/Strikes - Perry 59/42, Sereda 14/13, Morello 17/11, VanBeverhoudt 15/7
Groundouts/Flyouts - Perry 4/8, Sereda 1/1, Morello 1/1
Batters Faced - Perry 19, Sereda 7, Morello 6, VanBeverhoudt 4
River Rats
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
| Fields, cf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Fitts, rf |
4 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Liquori, 1b |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Warde, ss |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Lora, c |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Mach, 2b |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Rikeman, dh |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Shuler, dh |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Yeager, 3b |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Brazil, lf |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Batting
2B - Fields, Brazil
HR - Liquori
RBI - Fields, Liquori 3, Lora, Yeager, Brazil
HBP - Lora
Baserunning
SB - Shuler
CS - Fields, Fitts
Fielding
E - Warde
Pitching
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Wainright |
4.0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
| Moreno, W |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| Garner |
0.2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Holcomb |
0.1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Wild Pitches - Wainright
Pitches/Strikes - Wainright 75/45, Moreno 35/18, Garner 9/5, Holcomb 7/5
Groundouts/Flyouts - Wainright 3/4, Moreno 1/3, Garner 1/1
Batters Faced - Wainright 17, Moreno 8, Garner 3, Holcomb 2
Lightning
Batting
| Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
|
Brinling, cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Best, 2b |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavanaugh, c |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Dinges, dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Stapleton, dh |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Cervantes, rf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Furry, lf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nowells, 3b |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Hadley, pr |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Thornton, 1b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Runnels, ph |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cordova, ss |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Batting
2B - Brinling
RBI - Best
HBP - Best
Baserunning
SB - Best
Fielding
E - Brinling, Best 2, Cervantes, Thornton
Pitching
Pitches/Strikes - Perry 59/42, Sereda 14/13, Morello 17/11, VanBeverhoudt 15/7
Groundouts/Flyouts - Perry 4/8, Sereda 1/1, Morello 1/1
Batters Faced - Perry 19, Sereda 7, Morello 6, VanBeverhoudt 4
Scoring Plays
Top 1st
Jeff Liquori homered to right field, 2 RBI. Ahmad Fitts scored.
Bottom 3rd
Noah Best grounded out to ss, RBI. Austin Brinling advanced to third. Ramses Cordova scored.
Top 5th
Chay Yeager singled through the right side, advanced to second on a throwing error by rf, RBI. Joshua Shuler scored on the error, unearned. Dylan Mach scored.
Top 6th
Ahmad Fitts singled to center field, advanced to second on a throwing error by cf. Brandon Fields scored on the error, unearned.
Top 7th
Dylan Brazil doubled down the lf line, RBI. Chay Yeager advanced to third. Brooks Rikeman scored.
Brandon Fields flied out to rf, SF, RBI. Chay Yeager scored.
Jeff Liquori singled through the right side, RBI. Ahmad Fitts advanced to third. Dylan Brazil scored.
Gary Lora hit by pitch, RBI. Jaiden Warde advanced to second. Jeff Liquori advanced to third. Ahmad Fitts scored.
All Plays
Top 1st
Brandon Fields grounded out to 3b.
1 out
Ahmad Fitts singled up the middle.
Jeff Liquori homered to right field, 2 RBI. Ahmad Fitts scored.
Jaiden Warde struck out looking.
2 out
Gary Lora lined out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 1st
Austin Brinling lined out to cf.
1 out
Drew Cavanaugh reached on a fielder's choice to third base. Noah Best out at second 3b to 2b.
2 out
Marco Dinges reached on a fielder's choice up the middle. Drew Cavanaugh out at second 2b unassisted.
3 out
Top 2nd
Dylan Mach grounded out to 2b.
1 out
Brooks Rikeman flied out to 2b.
2 out
Joshua Shuler flied out to cf.
3 out
Bottom 2nd
Travis Stapleton singled up the middle.
Daniel Cervantes struck out swinging.
1 out
Michael Furry flied out to cf.
2 out
Devon Nowells struck out swinging.
3 out
Top 3rd
Chay Yeager flied out to lf.
1 out
Dylan Brazil flied out to lf.
2 out
Brandon Fields reached on a fielding error by 1b, assist by 3b.
Brandon Fields out at first p to ss to 1b, caught stealing. 3 out
Bottom 3rd
Ian Thornton flied out to cf.
1 out
Ramses Cordova singled to right center.
Austin Brinling doubled to left center. Ramses Cordova advanced to third.
Noah Best grounded out to ss, RBI. Austin Brinling advanced to third. Ramses Cordova scored.
2 out
Drew Cavanaugh struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
3 out
Top 4th
Ahmad Fitts flied out to cf.
1 out
Jeff Liquori grounded out to 2b.
2 out
Jaiden Warde lined out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 4th
Marco Dinges struck out looking.
1 out
Daniel Cervantes struck out looking.
2 out
Travis Stapleton advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Michael Furry popped up to 1b.
3 out
Top 5th
Gary Lora flied out to cf.
1 out
Brooks Rikeman singled to left field. Dylan Mach advanced to second.
Joshua Shuler reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Brooks Rikeman out at second ss to 2b. Dylan Mach advanced to third.
2 out
Joshua Shuler stole second.
Chay Yeager singled through the right side, advanced to second on a throwing error by rf, RBI. Joshua Shuler scored on the error, unearned. Dylan Mach scored.
Cameron Sereda replaces Layton Perry at pitcher.
Dylan Brazil grounded out to ss.
3 out
Bottom 5th
Jose Moreno replaces Aaron Wainright at pitcher.
Devon Nowells struck out swinging.
1 out
Ramses Cordova flied out to rf.
2 out
Austin Brinling reached on a fielder's choice to second base. Ian Thornton out at second 2b to ss.
3 out
Top 6th
Brandon Fields doubled to left center.
Ahmad Fitts singled to center field, advanced to second on a throwing error by cf. Brandon Fields scored on the error, unearned.
Ahmad Fitts out at third p to 3b, caught stealing. 1 out
Jeff Liquori reached on a fielding error by 2b.
Jaiden Warde reached on a throwing error by 2b. Jeff Liquori advanced to third on the error.
Gary Lora struck out swinging.
2 out
Dylan Mach lined out to cf.
3 out
Bottom 6th
Noah Best reached on a fielding error by ss.
Noah Best stole second.
Marco Dinges flied out to cf.
1 out
Travis Stapleton flied into double play rf to ss. Noah Best out on the play.
3 out
Top 7th
Mason Morello replaces Cameron Sereda at pitcher.
Brooks Rikeman singled to third base.
Joshua Shuler singled to center field. Brooks Rikeman advanced to second.
Chay Yeager reached on a fielder's choice to first base. Joshua Shuler out at second 1b to ss. Brooks Rikeman advanced to third.
1 out
Dylan Brazil doubled down the lf line, RBI. Chay Yeager advanced to third. Brooks Rikeman scored.
Brandon Fields flied out to rf, SF, RBI. Chay Yeager scored.
2 out
Ahmad Fitts singled to third base. Dylan Brazil advanced to third.
Ivan VanBeverhoudt replaces Mason Morello at pitcher.
Jeff Liquori singled through the right side, RBI. Ahmad Fitts advanced to third. Dylan Brazil scored.
Jaiden Warde walked. Jeff Liquori advanced to second.
Gary Lora hit by pitch, RBI. Jaiden Warde advanced to second. Jeff Liquori advanced to third. Ahmad Fitts scored.
Dylan Mach struck out swinging.
3 out
Bottom 7th
JD Garner replaces Jose Moreno at pitcher.
Daniel Cervantes grounded out to ss.
1 out
Michael Furry flied out to rf.
2 out
Zach Holcomb replaces JD Garner at pitcher.
Chase Hadley replaces Devon Nowells at .
Jakob Runnels replaces Ian Thornton at pinch hitter.
Jakob Runnels singled up the middle. Chase Hadley advanced to second.
Ramses Cordova struck out looking.
3 out
