ORLANDO, Fla.- DeLand Suns head coach Rick Hall became the winningest coach in Florida League history on Monday night, as the Suns defeated the first place Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, 3-0, at The First Academy. The win was the 196th of Hall's tenure with the Suns, breaking the record previously held by Winter Park and Sanford head coach Kevin Davidson. 

Hall's 196 victories include his championship triumphs, coming at Tropicana Field in 2012 and on his home field in DeLand in 2018. His 25 wins this regular season are the most of any of his DeLand teams, and are one win away from tying the franchise record for wins (including playoffs) set by the 2012 and 2018 championship teams.

Fittingly for a former pitching coach, the Suns gave their head coach the record with a shutout. Brady Choban (Marshall), Brandon Castle (Eckerd), and Austin Wood (Stetson) combined on the three-hit shutout. Choban picked up the win with five innings of work, Castle followed with a scoreless sixth and seventh inning, and Wood tossed two perfect innings with three strikeouts to earn the save.

DeLand scored a run in the first, a run in the fourth, and a run in the seventh to supply the support for their pitching staff. In the first inning, Mark Townsend (Stetson) blasted the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for his franchise record seventh home run of the season. The solo shot gave the Suns a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, providing an edge DeLand would not relinquish.

Three innings later, Alan Alonso (Mount Olive) added a home run of his own. The third-year Sun, who had hit one home run in his first 185 at-bats with DeLand, blasted his fourth home run of the season over the right field fence at The First Academy. Alonso, who reached base four times in the victory, gave the Suns a 2-0 lead with his longball.

Following the home runs, the Suns did not need a hit to get their third and final run on the board. In the top of the seventh, four consecutive DeLand hitters reached base on a hit by pitch and three walks. The final walk, to Peter Hutzal (Marshall) allowed Townsend to score from third and forced in the final run of the game. 

Joe McNamara (Winthrop) led the DeLand lineup with three hits from the leadoff spot. A double from Hunter Fornari (FGCU), an Alonso single and the two home runs accounted for DeLand's seven hits. DeLand was also the beneficiary of 14 free passes - eleven walks and three hit batsmen. Hutzal walked four times in the win, tying the most for any single player this season in the Florida League.

The Suns will return to The First Academy on Tuesday for the conclusion of their series with the Diamond Dawgs. Florida League strikeout leader Nathan Palmer (Seminole State) will climb the mound for the Suns, who could clinch home field advantage in the first round of the FCSL playoffs with a win and a Sanford loss.