DeLand, Fla. - `The DeLand Suns (10-17) routed the Winter Garden Squeeze (10-17) in eight innings with a 10-2, run-rule victory.

Newcomer Lucas Johns (Tampa) got the starting nod and made a strong impression on his new squad. He retired the side in order in his first two innings of work. Johns went on to complete four innings, striking out four and only allowing two hits and two walks for an earned run. 

“For Johns to pitch the way he did after not pitching for almost a month, it was good to see.That’s another piece that you get going in to this stretch before the postseason” - Coach Cameron Jergens

DeLand scored early and didn’t stop scoring as the game unfolded into an offensive onslaught. In the third, Osmin Melendez (Undecided) reached on a one-out single, Daniel Baez (Florida Atlantic) followed with a walk. With two runners in scoring position after a successful double steal, Holden Brauner (Undecided) flew out to left field, allowing Melendez to tag up and score the first run of the game. Baez soon scored off a hard-hit William Rollings (Undecided) single up the middle.

The scoring poured into the fourth. Jaxon Junnila (Middle Tennessee State) reached via a single and stole second to put a runner in scoring position with one away. Nathan Ricko (Stetson) brought him in with a single of his own. A hit by Meridian Lefew (Central Florida) and a walk by Melendez loaded the bases with still only one out. Baez worked a bases loaded walk for his first RBI of the day. Two at-bats later, Rollings capped the scoring in the third as he brought in Leffew with a fielder's choice. Going into the fifth, the Suns held a comfortable 5-0 lead. 

The Squeeze were able to answer back in the fifth, scoring one to put themselves on the board. In their half of the inning, the Suns not only answered back, but extended their lead by bringing two across in the frame. Aris Rivera (FIU) and Connor O’Sullivan (Undecided) walked to kick off the bottom of the fifth, and soon the bases were loaded after Junilla reached off a fielder's choice. Lefew knocked his second hit for his first multi-hit game of the summer, and with the ball landing in shallow right near the third-base line, Rivera and O’Sullivan scored making it a 7-1 game.

Both teams had tacked on one more going into the bottom of the eighth, with DeLand holding a healthy 8-2 lead. Brauner knocked a single for DeLand’s fifth leadoff base runner of the contest. Rollings followed with a hard-hit ball through the legs of the third basemen to put two runners on. Brauner eventually scored after two consecutive pitches moved the runners over. The Winter Garden pitcher was able to record two outs, but with runners on the corners, it was Ricko’s time to shine once again. He sent a ball to straightaway center to score Rollings and secure the 10-2, run-rule victory for the Suns. 

“It’s really nice to see a response after Thursday’s loss. The offense is starting to come around and starting to settle in.” Coach Cameron Jergens

Alongside Johns’ great start, John Havens put up an almost identical line in relief for the starter. Dealing for 4.0 innings with two hits, two walks, an earned run and three strikeouts.

Ricko ended the day with two RBI’s and a run scored off of three hits in five at-bats. The performance was enough for him to receive Player of the Night recognition. 

The DeLand Suns will be back in action on Sunday July 13 as they take on the Leesburg Lightning at Pat Thomas Stadium at 5 p.m.

Adrian Delgado (Central Florida)