ORLANDO, Fla— In an incredible 10 inning walk off finish, the Orlando Snappers fell just short of victory in the play-in game 9-8 against the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs.  The Snappers were holding onto a 7-0 lead heading into the fourth inning.  The Dawgs forced extras in the bottom of the ninth with a score of 8-8.  Where they would walk it off in the bottom of the tenth.  

The tenth inning was a wild ride for both of these teams.  Orlando got things started with a leadoff double from Aidan Duda (Frostburg State).  He finished 2-4 on the day.  Drew Byers (Georgia Tech) came in to pinch run for the catcher.  

Braden Calise (Louisville) pulled off a rare two strike sacrifice bunt to advance Byers over to third with just one away.  Tyler McKenna (New Orleans) was at the plate pinch hitting for Gauge McCorkle (Florida Southwestern).  On a wild pitch that found the backstop, Byers dug for home to score the run for free.  Anthony Gonzalez (Stetson) the Dawgs catcher, dove for the plate as Byers was sliding in.  He was ruled out at the dish.  The inning would end without any runs scored by the Snaps.  

Brett Dennis (North Florida) went five innings in his third start of the 2023 season.  He tossed two hitless frames to open the game.  His final line was four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.  

The Orlando Snappers put on one of their most complete games on offense of the season.  Nine of ten Snappers who started the game finished with hits.  Three with multi-hit performances.  Jeissy De La Cruz (New Orleans) launched a three run bomb over the left field wall to go up 7-0 in the third.  

That homer scored Dale Thomas (Florida) and Edgar Alvarez (Nicholls State).  Both of which had incredible days at the plate.  Thomas finished with a 1.000 OBS Monday night. He doubled into right for an RBI in the third.  He finished with four walks on the day.  

That double from Thomas scored Michael Ballard (LA Tech) who was 2-4 with a double off the left field wall.  He would be plated twice in the game.  

Alvarez was 2-4 with three runs scored.  He crushed a ball into deep left center to reclaim the Snapper lead in the seventh 8-7.  It was the final run the Snaps would score on the season.  

Joseph Charles (FSU) recorded two RBI of his own on his lone hit from the plate Monday night.  He finished 1-5.  However, he did throw a season high 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.  Charles entered the game as a pitcher in the eighth with a one run lead.  Two unearned runs would come around to score while he was out there.  He punched out three batters, facing thirteen Diamond Dawgs across his appearance.  

The Snappers season comes to an end to the very team that head coach Terry Abbott and eleven former players won the championship with just a season ago in the Florida League.  The Snappers were swept by the Diamond Dawgs in 2022 in the semi-finals.  

The Semi-finals will take place Tuesday.  Winter Park will take on the first place Leesburg Lightning who were runners up to the Dawgs last season.  Game one will be at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg 7PM EST Tuesday July 25th.  

Jackson Faulknor (Full Sail University)