News

Winter Garden, FL- The Winter Garden Squeeze and the Deland Suns were back in action Saturday, following Winter Garden's Opening Night win, 4-3, at Conrad Park. 

This time the Squeeze played host to the Suns at Olympia High School in southwest Orlando. This game was a lot different from the night before, as both teams bats looked to be much better. For the Squeeze, they had eleven hits which is a major increase from their one hit performance last night. For Deland, they had seven hits in the 7-6 loss.

Gaven Book (Santa Fe) got the nod for the Squeeze going 4 innings pitched letting up 4 hits, a walk, 3 strikeouts and 6 runs but only 4 of those runs were earned due to a couple of errors committed by the defense. For the Suns, it was Stephen Cherepanya (Rollins) on the mound who went just 2 innings giving up 3 earned runs on 4 hits 2 walks and a strikeout. Both starting pitchers received a No Decision. 

The scoring was opened up in the first inning when Tyler Dowdy (West Florida) drew a bases loaded walk which brought in Zackary Stokes (West Florida) for the score. The very next batter, Michael Young (Pensacola), hit a 2 RBI single to left field to bring in his Pensacola state teammate John Smith III and Santino Rao (Northwestern) to make the score 3-0. 

The Suns were able to answer by putting up 2 runs in each of the second, third, and fourth inning Ahmad Fitts (Florida Southern) out the suns on the board with a single that went off the pitchers foot brining in Rohseasn Riley (Florida Southern) to make the score 3-1, a couple of batters later with James Wright (Northern Colorado) on third base, Alex Rich (Lenoir-Rhyne) was able to lift one to the right fielder which was good enough to bring in Wright for the score to make it 3-2. 

In the top of the 4th, it was Corey Robinson (UCF) who put the squeeze on top for the first time today with a 2 RBI long ball that was launched way over the 315 sign in left field for his first homer of the year, scoring both him and Sammy Lake (Rollins). In the top of the 6th, it was Alex Rich again that was able to put another ball in the outfield for his second sacrifice fly of the day to put the Suns up 5-2. The Suns would get their final run scored on the day on a pass ball that would score Ahmad fits to make the score 6-3. 

In the bottom half of the 5th, Michael Young was able to collect one of his 3 RBI's on the day with a sacrifice fly to center good enough to bring in Santino Rao. 

The Squeeze bats came alive again late in the 7th inning when John Smith III (Pensacola) hit a single to left field to bring in Luis Antigua (Oklahoma Wesleyan). Santino Rao was able to tie the game for the squeeze thanks to a balk that put Zackary Stokes on third base and John Smith III on second, Rao hit a soft chopper to the second basemen which was good enough to bring in the score. 

Luis Antigua was able to get it done for the Squeeze in the bottom half of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly to center that was deep enough to bring in Noah Ward to take the 7-6 lead which would ultimate decide this game. 

Jack Bellah (West Florida)secured the win for the Squeeze today, going 4 innings giving up 2 hits with no runs, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Bellahs day was over as the eighth inning ended which made way for Fisher Sheffield (Keystone) to come in and slam the door shut on the Suns for his first save of the year and to complete the sweep for the Squeeze.

William Rodriguez (Keystone) got the loss for the Suns, going 3 innings pitched, giving up 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. The Suns are back at it tomorrow against Orlando at Lake Highland Prep. The Squeeze will be back tomorrow at Olympia High School getting ready to open a 3 game set against Leesburg. 

Christian Rapoza (Full Sail University)