SANFORD, FL-- In a highly-contested rematch between the Winter Garden Squeeze (12-8-1) and the Seminole County Snappers (10-10-2),  it went into extra innings for the second time this season. This time, the Squeeze and the Snappers ended in a stalemate at 2-2, Friday afternoon at Sanford Memorial Stadium. 

It was another pitcher’s duel between these two ball clubs, with Connor Harris (George Washington) taking the mound for Seminole County, and Nicholas Shower (Ohio Valley) toeing the rubber for Winter Garden. Harris didn’t allow any runs through five innings of work while striking out six Squeeze batters. His counterpart, Shower wasn’t too shabby either. Shower pitched five innings as well, only allowed one run which wasn’t earned and struck out two. 

That one run for the Snappers came early in the game, at the top of the third inning. J.J. Gonzalez (UCF) singled and moved to second when Chris Klein (West Virginia) reached on an error. J.D Urso (Tampa) then came up to the plate and singled, advancing Gonzalez to third base. Two batters later, Gio Lorenzo (Stetson) lifted a flyball to left field, Gonzalez tagged up from third and came home to score on the sacrifice to give Seminole County an advantage, 1-0. 

Seminole County took that lead to the bottom of the sixth inning. Cody Forster (Embry-Riddle) came in relief for Harris, and the Squeeze was able to take advantage. Andrew O’Dea (Bethune-Cookman) led with a double in the gap to right-center-field. Forster struck out the next batter but plunked Doug Bell (Southeastern CC) with a pitch, and manager Mike McDaniel went with his closer Madison Jeffrey (West Virginia). 

Jeffrey walked Lucas Dunn (Louisville) to load the bases, and Noah Dickerson (Arkansas Little-Rock) approached the plate. In the at-bat, Jeffrey threw a wild pitch, and O’Dea trotted home to make this a 1-1 tie. However, Jeffrey struck out a batter and had a 2-3 putout to end the inning.

It was a crazy seventh inning from both sides. Seminole County came to bat and had the bases loaded with one out after two singles and a walk. Carson Crossley (Seminole State College) came on to pitch and got Austin Davis (West Virginia) to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Winter Garden was one hit away from walking it off in the bottom of the inning. The Squeeze had the bases loaded with one out, but Jeffrey came through for his squad yet again. He struck out the next two batters, and we headed to extras in Sanford. 

In the international tiebreaker, both teams mustered a run across. Seminole County scored a run when Davis ran home on a 4-6-3 double-play ball fielded by the Squeeze middle infield. The Squeeze answered back when O’Dea was at second, and a snap throw from the catcher rolled to centerfield, allowing O’Dea not only to go to third but home as well. The game ended in a tie as the Snappers got the next three batters out to end the game. 

Box Score 

Matthew McClure