Dawgs' Power Clinches Series Win over DeLand

WINTER PARK, Fla. - The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs wasted no time flexing their power Thursday night, blasting two home runs in the first two innings to cruise to a 9-5 victory over the DeLand Suns at Alfond Stadium. The win improved the Dawgs to 11-9 on the season.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Dawgs answered immediately. Garrett Frost erased the deficit with a two-run blast to right field, giving Winter Park its first lead of the night. Later in the inning, Daniel Irizarry added an RBI single to make it 3-1.

The offense kept rolling in the second. Jake Biaggi drove in another run before Evan Taveras delivered the biggest swing of the night, crushing a three-run homer to left field that extended the Dawgs' lead to 7-1.

DeLand attempted to rally with three runs in the fourth and another in the eighth, but the Dawgs' bullpen shut the door. Anthony Filice earned the victory with two scoreless innings in relief before Knute Rockey and Ethan Koller combined to finish off the final three frames.

Frost finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Taveras went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and three RBIs. Irizarry collected two hits and an RBI, and Mezzanotte added two hits and an RBI as Winter Park totaled 11 hits in the victory.

The Diamond Dawgs will look to build on their momentum Friday when they travel to face the DeLand Suns. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Justin Baltes (University of Central Florida)