Winter Garden wallops Winter Park 10-0 in five innings
Although the game was shortened due to rain, the Winter Garden Squeeze certainly let it pour before then, putting across ten runs in the first two innings to defeat the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs 10-0 in five innings.
“The Squeeze are on fire,” said Zack Stokes. “We are going to run the table.”
Stokes hit a three-run blast to right field to push the Squeeze’s early one-run lead to four. This summer is Stokes’ third year with Winter Garden and it was his first home run in the orange and blue.
“I’ve been trying to hit a home run all year and it finally clicked,” said Stokes. “I got some back spin on one which I haven’t had all year. I wanted a few this summer and we’re wrapping up which sucks, but maybe I’ll get one or two in the next few days and to get a few more.”
For Stokes, it has been a remarkable summer, improving in just about every hitting statistic from last summer. The all-star left fielder’s average currently sits at .361, which is seventh in the league, and he has driven in a league’s sixth best 20 RBIs.
In the second inning the Squeeze poured on the final six runs, batting around the lineup during the process. The inning had six hits, which were all singles, along with two free passes. This was the second time in the past week the Squeeze poured ten runs in the first two innings, last time being in DeLand July 12th.
Mikah Takac turned in another wonderful start for the Squeeze, notching his fifth win to finish the regular season perfect on decisions. The righty tossed four of the five innings allowing just two hits and a walk, while striking out four hitters. Takac’s regular season ERA will finish at 1.55, third best in the league. Philip DeVita tossed the final inning without allowing a hit with two walks and two strikeouts, to secure what is the Squeeze's third shutout in four games.
With the win, the Squeeze have clinched at least the two-seed for playoffs, trailing Leesburg by half a game. The Diamond Dawgs are now on the brink of elimination, needing to win the remaining two games against the Squeeze as well as the Snappers to lose the final two games against the Lightning. First pitch Friday night is set for 7pm EST in Winter Garden.
Riley Kelton (Auburn University)
