What a Season — What a Team — What a Trophy
Orlando, Fl. - The Orlando Snappers are your 2025 Florida Collegiate Summer League Champions!
The Snappers wrote their name in the history book by sweeping the Sanford River Rats, taking them down 11-6 in game 2 of this best of 3 championship series.
The River Rats posted the best regular season record ever in Florida League history at 26-3 and did not lose back-to-back ballgames this season until they ran into Orlando in the finals.
The Snappers coaching staff—Terry Abbott, David Burr, and Dallas Beaver—managed this team to perfection all season long and are more than deserving of the championship success they've achieved.
Orlando’s players showed remarkable resilience throughout the year, weathering every high and low together. They played as a unit, like a true family, and that bond—combined with their undeniable talent, relentless dedication, and daily grind—propelled them to lift the silverware in 2025.
Orlando’s players were resilient all season long through ups and downs. They struck together day in and day out and treated each other like family. That chemistry, along with their unblemished talent, dedication, and grind, to push through on a nightly basis led them to picking up silverware in 2025.
The final ballgame of the season had just about everything that you could imagine, including real life Snappers on the field.
In the first inning, it was the River Rats who jumped out to an early 2-0 lead capitalizing on a 2-run shot to right field.
Blake Fields led things off for Orlando in the bottom half and he too showcased his muscles crushing the second pitch and sending deep into the trees, cutting his team’s deficit in half.
Sanford held a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning but after that it was all Snappers.
With Hutson Guinn (Eastern Florida State) at first after a leadoff single, Julian Mercado (Stetson) struck and he struck big with his first home run of the season tying things up at 3 a piece.
3 batters later, Blake Fields brought home the FCSL Championship Series MVP, Austin Pierzynski (UAB), followed by a Matt Farner (Rollins) RBI single giving Orlando their first lead of the night at 5-3 (North Florida).
Pierzynski continued proving his case to accomplish MVP honors with a 2-RBI single to right in the seventh inning.
With the Snappers now up 7-3, the River Rats began chipping back into their deficit, scoring 3 runs in the top of the eight and inching closer and closer to tying things up.
The Snappers, however, had other ideas as their bats continued to explode.
Comeaux led the bottom of the eighth with a solo blast while Mercado knocked a bases clearing, 3-RBI double putting the hosts just 3 outs away from sealing the 11-6 title game victory,
With Ryland Happel (Lake Sumter) back on the mound in the ninth, Orlando had no problem sealing the deal and going home as happy as can be with some silverware to show off.
Happel threw just under 2 full innings, giving up no hits, no runs, no walks, and striking our two.
Pierzynski, the championship series MVP, went 2-4 with 2 RBIs, after collecting 3 RBIs in Game 1 on Saturday as part of his 1-3 performance.
With this outstanding accomplishment, the coaches, players, staff, and everyone involved with the Orlando Snappers this season want to thank all the fans, parents, and spectators for their unwavering support all season long.
This was a summer full of life-long memories and historic accomplishments that will forever have a piece in Florida League history.
Let’s say it one final time; Go Snaps!
#SnappsUp
Esteban Velez (University of Missouri)