SANFORD — In spite of Opening Night being spoiled by Mother Nature, the start of Season 22 for the Florida Collegiate Summer League has been an impressive one, with several close games, a few comebacks and even some walkoff decisions.
Heading into the second weekend of the season, the Sanford River Rats have done whatever is necessary to zoom to the top of the standings, carrying a 4-game winning streak and a 6-1 record into action on Saturday (June 7), after the surprising DeLand Suns (5-2) dropped their second game, 7-4, to the Winter Garden Squeeze.
Here are the standings (as of June 6):
1. Sanford River Rats, 6-1; 2. DeLand Suns, 5-2, 1 game behind; 3. (tie) Leesburg Lightning and Orlando Snappers, 4-3, 2 games behind; 5. Winter Garden Squeeze, 2-5, 4 games behind; 6. Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, 0-7, 6 games behind.
Here is the Press Release for the first weekend of action from the FCSL’s Adrian Delgado (UCF):
We’re one week into the Florida League season and there have been plenty of fireworks throughout Central Florida. This past week, the league saw two series sweeps and a three-game set combine for 70 total runs scored.
The DeLand Suns and Winter Park Diamond Dawgs faced off for a three-game set with the Suns sweeping g the Dawgs, 3-0. DeLand took the lead in the ninth in all three games, including a walk-off in Sunday’s series finale. In all three games, Suns’ head coach Cameron Jergens turned to pinch hitters late in the game and they all delivered in crucial moments. On Friday night, DeLand and the Dawgs were locked at five all before the Suns put up a four spot in the ninth to secure the win. They were back in action again on Saturday at Rollins College, DeLand was down 2-3 going into the ninth, Adam Parzych (Florida A&M) pinch hit for the second consecutive night and notched a triple to tie it up, the Suns would end up winning 4-3. Sunday’s series finale saw Osmin Melendez (Seminole State) walk it off for DeLand in their home opener.
The series between the Sanford River Rats and Leesburg Lightning was a high scoring, slugfest. Sanford took game one 10-7, putting up a seven-spot in the top of the first, Leesburg did fight back, but errors only increased their deficit as they ultimately lost game one. Game two saw a much cleaner game, in terms of limiting errors, but free passes from both sides resulted in another high scoring game. The teams issued a combined 25 walks on Saturday and it was the Rats who ultimately came out on top, beating the Lightning 13-10. Saturday’s game also saw the first home run of the Florida League season as Dawson Mock (South Florida) sent one over the wall for a three-run homer in the first. The series finale was played at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium on Sunday as a make-up from the opener being rained out, the River Rats went in to the ninth with a 7-5 lead, but the five-time and reigning champion Lightning were able to claw back and force the game into extras. Leesburg was able to salvage a series win in the 10th, ending 18 batters to plate and scoring 12 runs, as free passes and wild pitches haunted Sanford, which refused to go quietly, answering with four runs in the bottom of the frame, before falling, 19-11.
The MVP of the series was Sanford’s Dawson Harmon (South Carolina Columbia), who went 4-for-11, with two home runs and seven RBI.
The third series saw the Orlando Snappers sweep the Winter Garden Squeeze, 3-0, with Orlando winning by the scores of 8-0, 9-6 and 9-5.
Here is the upcoming schedule:
Wednesday, June 11
No games scheduled.
Thursday, June 12
Snappers vs. Diamond Dawgs, Rollins College/Alfond Stadium, 6 p.m.; Squeeze vs. River Rats, Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium, 6:30 p.m.; Suns vs. Lightning, Buddy Lowe Field at Pat Thomas Stadium, 7 p.m.
Friday, June 13
Squeeze vs. River Rats, Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium, 6:30 p.m.; Lightning vs. Suns, Melching Field, Conrad Park, 7 p.m.; Diamond Dawgs vs. Snappers, The First Academy-Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 14
Lightning vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 7 p.m.; River Rats vs. Squeeze, Horizon High School, 7 p.m.; Diamond Dawgs vs. Snappers, The First Academy-Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 15
No games scheduled.
Monday, June 16
Squeeze vs. Diamond Dawgs, Rollins College/Alfond Stadium, 6 p.m.; River Rats vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 7 p.m.; Lightning vs. Snappers, The First Academy-Orlando, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17
Diamond Dawgs vs. Squeeze, Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium, 6:30 p.m.; River Rats vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 7 p.m.; Snappers vs. Lightning, Buddy Lowe Field at Pat Thomas Stadium, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18
No games scheduled.
In other FCSL News:
* Games streamed LIVE on Varsity Sports Nation PPV _ All Florida League games will once again be streamed live and archived for replays on Varsity Sports Nation PPV this season. For information about how to access this content go to _ https://varsitysportsnationppv.lightcast.com/.
Go to _ www.floridaleague.com _ for more information.
