Dawgs’ 2026 Season Comes to an End

WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs officially closed the book on their 2026 season Wednesday night, falling 13-2 to the Leesburg Lightning in Game 2 of the Florida Collegiate Summer League semifinal series at Alfond Stadium.

The loss ended Winter Park's season with a 16-20-1 record, while Leesburg improved to 26-11 and advanced to the FCSL Championship Series.

Although the final result was disappointing, the 2026 campaign marked a significant step forward for the Diamond Dawgs. After finishing 7-28 in 2025, Winter Park more than doubled its win total this summer, earned a postseason berth and remained in playoff contention throughout the season.

The Diamond Dawgs produced several memorable moments over the course of the summer, including Jacob Pearl's grand slam in the FCSL play-in game, strong pitching performances and multiple late-inning victories that helped fuel the team's turnaround.

In Wednesday's finale, Winter Park collected eight hits but managed just two runs. Mason Mojica drove in the Diamond Dawgs' first run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning before Roberto Odor added an RBI single later in the frame. Leesburg responded with five runs in the ninth to seal the 13-2 victory.

As the season comes to a close, the players will return to their respective college programs after gaining valuable experience and building relationships that extended beyond the field. The foundation established this summer provides optimism for the future of the franchise.

While the Diamond Dawgs finished below .500, the jump from seven wins in 2025 to 16 victories and a playoff appearance in 2026 gives Winter Park plenty of momentum heading into next season.

Justin Baltes (University of Central Florida)