News

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - The DeLand Suns busted their three-game losing streak on Sunday night with a 12-6 beatdown of the Orlando Snappers at Lake Highland Prep. Four extra-base hits, including a home run from Logan Hughes (Stetson) powered the Suns to victory. Ty Angevine (UNF) mowed through five innings on the mound in just 63 pitches for the first win of his Florida League career.

DeLand scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back, as they would maintain that lead for the entirety of the game. After a leadoff walk and a Snappers error on a botched attempt at a double play, Hughes doubled to make it 2-0. Aris Rivera (Polk State) punched an opposite-field single to drive in the third run.

The Suns started the third with a leadoff single from Rohsean Riley (Florida Southern). A stolen base with another Snappers error got him to third, and he scored on a wild pitch. Three of the first four Suns runs were unearned for Orlando.

In a quick 4-0 hole in their half of the third, the Snappers awoke with four straight hits off Angevine. The Suns starting pitcher worked around the top of the Orlando lineup to limit the damage to just two runs in the frame.

Those runs would be the only ones allowed by Angevine in the outing, surrendering five hits over five innings. Pitching in his second FCSL season, he earned his first-ever win in his ninth career appearance.

DeLand continued to chip away with runs in the middle of the game, and led 8-2 going into the seventh-inning stretch. They got the leadoff man on-base in every inning except for the ninth, and brought the man home six times.

To put an exclamation point on the victory, the Suns saved their biggest inning for the eighth. Joe Becker (Webber International) wheeled around the bases for a triple to drive in a pair. It was his first hit since June 12, as he missed a large chunk of the season on the inactive list with a hip injury.

Then, Hughes crushed a pitch left-on-left against Snappers reliever Colin Ahearn (Samford) in a 3-2 count, and deposited the baseball into a tree past the right field wall. It was his second home run of the season, and capped off his first multi extra-base hit game.

DeLand plated 11 runs on 12 hits, but that's not the whole story. Orlando pitching issued eight walks, and hit another two batters. They also threw four wild pitches, with three of them scoring a runner from third base.

The Suns put the stolen base back in style as well as they swiped seven in the game. That was the most in a contest since June 9, when DeLand stole nine against Winter Park. Riley led the way with two, and leads the team on the season with nine.

"It was a complete team win," Suns coach Matt Swiderski said after the 12-6 victory. "It was really the first time our hitting and pitching was in sync."

Also speaking after the game was catcher Aris Rivera. After starting the season batting .160, Rivera is riding a three-game hitting streak with all four of his RBI's this year coming over that span. Sunday was his first multi-hit game, and he reached base four times in the win.

"I've been working with coach Swiderski, just to keep things short and simple. Trying to work the back side of the field, and just stay tight and keep my head down. I've been having some success and I just hope it keeps going."

It will be a quick turnaround for the Suns (8-14), going from a game Sunday night to a doubleheader Monday morning at 11 a.m. in Winter Garden against the Squeeze (11-12). The two teams haven't faced off since the opening series of the season, back on June 3.

Winning Pitcher: Ty Angevine (1-1)

Losing Pitcher: Anthony Ursitti (0-2)

Time of Game: 3:03

William Haynes (Florida State)