Winter Park – Time is running out for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs as they dropped to 6-24 on Saturday evening following a 7-1 loss to the Leesburg Lightning. Leesburg ended up taking the series after a sixth-inning offensive explosion,

Reilly Kuhar (Florida Tech) turned out a quality start for Winter Park, throwing five innings of one-run ball, and when he exited the game, it was still tied 1-1. 

The Lightning bats were awaiting to see a new arm, and once they did, Leesburg took full advantage of it. The sixth inning explosion for Leesburg featured contributions from just about everyone in the lineup. The team batted around and did not have an extra-base hit in the inning. They simply just kept the line moving.

For the Diamond Dawgs, this contest was a pivotal one if they still had aspirations of making the playoffs. Now 4.5 games back with just five games remaining on their schedule, they are up against the odds headed into the final week of the Florida League season. 

The lone Diamond Dawgs run came in the fourth inning, thanks to a sac fly by Tyler Boyesen (Stetson), but other than that, Winter Park had few chances. After shutting out Leesburg in the first game, the Lightning went on to score 15 runs in the next 15 innings to take the series.

Winter Park heads on a little three-game road trip to start next week. They will travel to DeLand to take on the Suns for one game on Monday. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

TJ French (University of Georgia)