Lightning Rally from Five Runs Down to Stun River Rats

SANFORD, Fla. – The Leesburg Lightning erased a five-run deficit with a relentless late-game offensive surge, scoring eight unanswered runs over the final three innings to defeat the Sanford River Rats 12-9 on Thursday night at Sanford Memorial Stadium.

Sanford jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning before extending its advantage to 6-1 through three frames. The Lightning began chipping away in the fourth when Charlie Keller launched a two-run home run to right field, cutting the deficit to three.

Turner Gross drove in another run with an RBI single in the fifth, but the River Rats answered with a two-run home run from Jake Schincariol and added another run in the sixth to build a 9-4 lead. However, Leesburg refused to go away.

After trimming the deficit to 9-5 in the seventh when Ledger Pleasant scored on a balk, the Lightning exploded in the eighth inning. Gross opened the rally with a solo home run before Keller crushed his second two-run homer of the night to make it a one-run game. Moments later, Marcello Cortale delivered the biggest swing of the night, blasting a two-run home run to left field to give Leesburg its first lead since the opening inning at 10-9.

The Lightning added two insurance runs in the ninth, drawing back-to-back bases-loaded walks from Gabe Campos and Cory Banasiak to extend the lead to three.

The offense pounded out 14 hits, highlighted by Keller's two-homer, four-RBI performance. Gross finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, while Cortale added a two-run homer of his own. Andon Gray led the way at the top of the lineup, going 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored.

After starter Gavin Dicks allowed six runs over three innings, the bullpen helped turn the game around. Josh Cone earned his first win of the season with 2.1 innings of relief, striking out five while allowing just one run. Ryan Perzanowski closed the door over the final two innings, working around four walks to record his first save of the season.

The victory improved Leesburg to 14-6 and completed one of the team's most dramatic comebacks of the summer. The three-game series between Leesburg and Sanford continues Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at Pat Thomas Stadium.

Adam Rothschild (Susquehanna University)