Suns Stumble Out of Break, Lose 5th Straight
WINTER PARK, Fla. - The DeLand Suns came off a three-day layoff that was used for the 2023 NACSB Prospect Games in Lynchburg, VA but picked up where they left off with another loss. They fell Thursday night to the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs by a score of 4-1. Keeping in the theme with the other losses during this five-game skid, DeLand's bats went quiet with only four hits.
Winter Park entered the day with the worst ERA in the league (5.32), but threw two dominant arms that combined for 13 strikeouts. Andrew White (Queens U. of Charlotte) started and went six innings, punching out 10 batters in the process. He got the Suns to go three up and three down in three different innings, including striking out the side in the fifth.
The Suns only run of the night came in the fourth, when Corey Robinson (UCF) walked and got into scoring position off a Dawgs error. Rohsean Riley singled off White to cut the deficit to 3-1.
On the mound, Will Smith (Alabama State) got the nod for DeLand and had his best start of the year, but would still take the loss. He put at least one man in scoring position in four of his five innings, but was able to work out of trouble allowing only three runs.
It could have been just two runs however, as in the third inning he generated weak contact in a bases loaded situation with one out. The ball was hit softly to the mound, and Smith threw home for the force out before the catcher James Wright (Northern Colorado) threw to first base on what looked to be an inning-ending double play.
After the play was over, the home plate umpire gestured that Wright never actually stepped on home plate to record the out, and the run was recorded. It capped off a two-run inning for Winter Park, and their 3-0 lead proved too insurmountable for DeLand.
The Suns tried to mount a comeback in the ninth inning, but it came up short. Working against reliever Carter Craig (Lincoln Memorial) who was attempting a nine-out save, it seemed DeLand had finally caught up to his hot fastball that overwhelmed them the previous two innings. Wright crushed a ball to leadoff the inning but it was caught for an out.
DeLand got the next two men aboard though, and would bring the potential tying run to the plate in Ahmad Fitts (Florida Southern). He rolled over to first on a ground ball, and Rohsean Riley (Florida Southern) followed with a flyout to center field to end the game.
Over the Suns last five games, they have been outscored by a margin of 28-6. Thursday's 4-1 defeat drops their record to 6-11 and ties them with Winter Park for last place in the Florida League standings.
Their three-game series against the Diamond Dawgs continues 7 p.m. Friday back in DeLand at Conrad Park.
Winning Pitcher: Andrew White (1-1)
Losing Pitcher: Will Smith (0-2)
Save: Carter Craig (2)
Time of Game: 2:34
William Haynes (Florida State)
