News

LEESBURG, Fla.- The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs fell to the Leesburg Lightning at Pat Thomas Stadium Tuesday night, 4-1. It marked Winter Park's first loss to the Lightning after winning the previous three matchups.    

The one and only run for the Dawgs came in the top of the first inning. Blake DeLamiellure (Jacksonville) drove in Michael Ballard (Eckerd) with a two-out RBI single. 

The Lightning wasted no time responding, putting up all four runs of their runs in the bottom half. Two of them came off the bat of Jakob Runnels (UNF). 

Both sides remained scoreless for the rest of the contest. 

After the first inning, Gavin Galy (Nicholls) settled in, throwing the four innings of scoreless ball. The bullpen did just as well, throwing three scoreless between Judson Hershiser, (Troy) and Noah Janney (Troy).  

Winter Park had chances in both the third and fifth inning, where they stranded two runners on base each time. 

Michael Ballard accounted for three of Dawgs’ seven hits. 

“It was just one of those nights; we had seven hits, but we just could not get them when we needed,” Ballard said. “Anytime we show up we expect to win, but sometimes it is good to learn from this feeling, so it doesn’t happen again.”

The Lightning snapped the Dawgs four game win streak and now only trail the number one seed by a game and a half. 

The Dawgs fall to 11-4 on the season. Winter Park will face the Seminole County Snappers Wednesday night 7 p.m. at Lake Highland Prep. This game is a makeup that will finish up a previous three-game set between the two teams.   

Alex Maloney (University of Central Florida)