Eighth Inning Rally Propels Lightning to Victory

Leesburg, FL – After a tightly contested game through the middle innings, the Leesburg Lightning broke a late tie with a five-run eighth inning to defeat the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, 7-2, and earn their first win of the 2026 season.

Right-hander Brandon Reiter got the start for Leesburg and showcased the dominance that has made him a successful Division I pitcher. Reiter struck out four batters over the opening innings while helping keep the Diamond Dawgs in check early.

The Lightning offense wasted no time getting on the board. KT Thompson led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and later scored on a wild throw to the plate, giving Leesburg an early 1-0 advantage.

The second inning featured the team's first home run of the season, as Preston Murphy launched a solo shot over the left-field fence to extend the Lightning's lead to 2-0.

Head coach Rich Billings turned to his bullpen in the middle innings, and the relievers answered the call. Bryan Burtoft made his season debut and recorded a strikeout while working out of trouble with help from the defense behind him.

Ledger Pleasant collected his first hit of the season in the fifth inning, building on a 2025 campaign in which he hit .262 with 17 hits. Catcher Cory Banasiak followed with a base hit of his own as the Lightning continued to put runners on base.

Miguel Figueroa and Bryce Gluckman combined for five strikeouts in relief, helping shut down the Diamond Dawgs and keep the game tied heading into the late innings.

Murphy continued his strong night at the plate with a single later in the game, adding to his impressive season-opening performance.

The turning point came in the bottom of the eighth inning. Andon Gray, Gabe Campos, and Thompson opened the frame with three consecutive hits to load the bases. Marcello Cortale and Hudson Reed followed with back-to-back RBI singles, bringing home three runs and giving the Lightning the lead for good.

Turner Gross also reached base in the inning after starting the night 0-for-3, helping keep the rally alive. Waddingham capped off the scoring with a sacrifice fly that plated the seventh and final run of the game.

Ethon Tesmer came on in the ninth inning to close it out. Tesmer retired right fielder Jake Biaggi and center fielder Jacob Pearl on groundouts before striking out Anthony Vizzini to secure the victory.

With the win, the Lightning improved to 1-0 on the season. Leesburg returns to Pat Thomas Stadium on Saturday, May 30, at 7:00 p.m. for another matchup against the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs.

Adam Rothschild (Susquehanna University)