Squeeze Fall to Dawgs in Extra Inning Affair

WINTER PARK, Fla. - In its first road test of the season, the Winter Garden Squeeze found itself in a wild extra-inning battle that ultimately ended in a heartbreaking 7-6 defeat. After trailing 3-1 early and later taking a 5-4 lead, the Squeeze appeared poised to secure their first victory of the 2026 campaign.

That changed in the bottom of the eighth inning when Justus Mike (Alabama State) lined a double that deflected off the third-base bag and into left field. Mike later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Colton Musgrave (Undecided), knotting the game at 5-5 and forcing extra innings.

Under the international tiebreaker rule, each team began the 10th inning with a runner on second base. The Squeeze struck first in the top half when Fabian Antonsanti (Stetson) collected his second hit of the night, delivering an RBI single that scored David Frietas (Hillsborough) and gave Winter Garden a 6-5 advantage.

But the Diamond Dawgs didn't back down. Carson Balls (Bowling Green) began the inning at second base, and Mike was intentionally walked. Osmin Melendez (USC Aiken) was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Balls scored on a wild pitch by Keith Holden (Rollins), tying the game at 6-6.

Jake Biaggi (John Melvin Christian) delivered the walk-off victory for Winter Park with a sacrifice fly, scoring Mike from third base.

Holden finished his outing with two innings pitched, allowing two runs while striking out two.

The Winter Garden Squeeze (0-2) fell to the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (2-2), 7-6 in 10 innings, on Monday night at Alfond Stadium. Despite the loss, the Squeeze outhit the Diamond Dawgs 10-8.

Winter Park wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning against Squeeze starter Peyton Rutledge (Santa Fe).

Osmin Melendez (USC Aiken) led off the inning with a single to right field, and Garrett Frost followed with another base hit, putting runners on the corners. Jake Biaggi (John Melvin Christian) drove in the game's first run with Winter Park's third consecutive hit, scoring Melendez.

Later in the frame, Frost crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Nik Mezzanotte (Undecided) added an RBI groundout that scored Biaggi and extended the Dawgs' lead to 3-0.

Rutledge worked two innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out two.

The Squeeze answered in the top of the second inning. Alex Galan (Lake Sumter State) recorded the club's first extra-base hit of the season, lacing a triple off the right-field wall. Josh Schaller (Peru State) followed with an RBI groundout, bringing Galan home and cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Kaden Howell (Santa Fe) turned in an impressive relief appearance for the Squeeze. Entering in the third inning, he struck out two batters in his first frame of work and finished with five strikeouts over three innings.

Winter Garden seized the lead in the fifth inning with a two-out rally. Landon Towns (Florida Southwestern) worked a full-count walk, and Osjun Rivas (Lake Sumter State) followed with a single up the middle to put runners on first and second.

Cael Reish (Flagler) tied the game with a two-run double into the right-center-field gap, scoring both runners. Antonsanti followed with another double, bringing Reish home from second and giving the Squeeze a 4-3 advantage.

Winter Park answered in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game. Mike was hit by a pitch and advanced around the bases via a stolen base and two wild pitches charged to Howell, evening the score at 4-4.

The Squeeze responded in the top of the sixth. An error by Winter Park shortstop Canyon Marcewicz (Florida Southern) allowed Brody Bellomo (Georgia Southwestern) to reach base, a mistake that quickly proved costly.

Bellomo moved into scoring position and later crossed the plate on an Ayden Elixson (Flagler) groundout, giving Winter Garden a 5-4 lead.

Caleb Clanton (Santa Fe) followed Howell in relief and tossed 2 1/3 innings, striking out three batters. The game-tying run in the eighth was charged to Clanton after he departed the game.

The Squeeze return to action Tuesday when they travel to Sanford to face the Sanford River Rats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Sanford Memorial Stadium.

Zach Moore (University of Florida)