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DELAND, Fla. - Anthony Griffith (Undecided) entered Friday night's game with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth trying to protect a 5-4 lead. He retired every batter he faced and held on to escape with a Suns win, breaking the five-game losing streak. Logan Hughes (Stetson) hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning that powered the DeLand Suns over the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs.

Up until the moment Hughes crushed one over the right field wall on a screaming line drive, it looked as if the Sun's losing ways would continue. Winter Park led 3-0 going into that bottom of the fourth, off some DeLand miscues. They allowed back-to-back doubles to the bottom of the order, and an error insured both of them would score. The next inning, a leadoff single came around to score off two wild pitches.

Winter Park starter Tyler Mechella (Presbyterian) held the Suns off the scoreboard for the first three innings, despite two hits and three walks over that span. DeLand was caught stealing twice, running themselves out of the first and second frames.

But eventually, they were able to do some damage off Mechella in his final inning. With two on and two out, Aris Rivera (Polk State) singled to score the first run. That hit put the tying run on base for the lefty-swinging Hughes facing the southpaw Mechella. On the first pitch, he left a breaking ball over the plate which Hughes crushed for his first homer of the year. It gave the Suns their first lead at 4-3.

The Diamond Dawgs would tie it up the next inning, but Rohsean Riley (Florida Southern) came through with an RBI single in the fifth to retake the lead.

The 5-4 score held into the ninth, where DeLand brought in Ty Robertson (Hillsborough CC) to try and close out the win. All three hitters he faced would reach base, putting the game in serious jeopardy. He issued a leadoff walk on four pitches, before hitting the next batter. Roman Samson (Florida Tech) laid a bunt down just trying to advance the runners, but ending up being safe himself.

This necessitated the move to Griffith, who pitched in the first game of the series Thursday. He fell behind the first hitter 3-1, then challenged him with a fastball in the zone for a swing and miss, before getting a called strike three on 3-2. Griffith fell behind the second batter 3-1, but got a flyout to right field. The runner at third tagged up on the play, but turned around halfway to home and scampered back to third.

This brought up the Dawgs leadoff hitter Isaac Nunez (Southeastern) with two out and the chance to be the hero. On the first pitch, he hit a ball in the air to center field that was caught for the last out of the game.

Suns coach Matt Swiderski, who coached Griffith with the Snapper last season, said after the game "That's his MO. He throws strikes and gets outs. I really thought the strikeout was the turning point of the inning, and from there he was able to shut it down for us."

Griffith himself was interviewed by teammates Chase Chappell (Santa Fe) and Chase Bruno (Embry-Riddle), and said "I was just coming in and trying to throw strikes." On the 3-1 pitches he explained "I know Aris [Rivera] is going to call a fastball at that point, and just let me rip. I know that I have so much confidence in myself to put [pitches] where I want them."

The 5-4 win was the Suns first in over a week, bringing them to 7-11 at the midway point of the season. It also helped them avoid sinking into last place in the standings, where Winter Park is at 6-12. The two teams will play the rubber match of the series 6:30 p.m. Saturday night at Alfond Stadium.

Winning Pitcher: Chase Chappell (2-1)

Losing Pitcher: Brad Brooks (0-4)

Save: Anthony Griffith (1)

Time of Game: 2:43

William Haynes (Florida State)