News

 

ORLANDO, Fla. - In what was only the Sanford River Rats’ second game in the last seven days, the offense came to play at Lake Highland Prep, putting up 17 runs to take down the Orlando Snappers in a lengthy four hour and four minute game.  

 

It was a great start for the Rats’ bats, as before Orlando even got two out, the Rats already reached base safely eight times.  Jacob Harper (Valdosta State) drove in a run with a bases loaded walk, and immediately after, Anthony Cole (Pasco Hernando State) drove in two of his own on an RBI single.  Anthony Saleeba (USF) capped off the four-run inning for Sanford with an RBI knock as well, put the Rats up early and giving them a 4-0 lead.

 

After a 1-2-3 inning for Jackson Evers (Northwest Florida State), Sanford did not take their foot off of the gas pedal, driving in six more runs in the second frame.  Jalen Hairston (Kentucky) and Xavier Lopez (App State) each drove in a run with hits, and a few hitters later, Anthony Cole delivered yet again, clearing the bases on a grand slam, his second home run of the season.

 

Now up by 10, Sanford looked to end the game early, but in the fourth, Orlando broke out offensively, putting up five runs to cut their deficit in half.  Two walks and an error hurt the Rats defensively, allowing the Snappers to send nine hitters to the plate and getting them back in the game.  Two innings later, Orlando would tally two more runs, brining them back to within three and cutting the lead to just 10-7 for Sanford.

 

Now in the late innings, Sanford’s offense finally got back on the board, and fittingly it was Anthony Cole who came through again, driving a second home run over the left field fence and giving the Rats some more insurance.  Cole would finish the night with 10 total bases and led the team with seven RBIs.

 

The extra runs would prove to be vital as just half an inning later, Orlando would score three more runs, making it a 12-10 game, the first time that the Snappers had cut their deficit that small all game long.  In the eighth, Orlando tallied another run as well, putting Sanford in peril of blowing what was once a 10-run lead.  

 

Now approaching the four-hour mark, Sanford put the game to rest in the top of the ninth, plating five runs and growing their lead to 17-11.  Anthony Saleeba drove in another RBI, as did Manny Santana (Undecided), and Xavier Lopez grabbed two of his own as well on a single.

 

Andrew Lepine (Stetson) came on in relief for the bottom of the ninth, and as he has done most of the year, delivered himself a scoreless inning to close things out and give Sanford the win.  It was their first time on the winning side of things since June 21, end a three-game losing streak.

 

Sanford will continue play Tuesday morning, with an early 11 a.m. start time from Sanford Memorial Stadium, taking on the Winter Garden Squeeze in a one-off game. Austin Waring (USF) gets the ball for the Rats, while the Squeeze will counter with Micah Takac (Mercer).

 

Noah Chavez (Arizona State)