SANFORD — For just the second time this season, the Sanford River Rats are on a losing streak.
After extending their league-record winning streak to 17 games, the Rats were upended by the 2-time defending champion Leesburg Lightning, 10-5, Friday night on Buddy Lowe Field at Pat Thomas Stadium.
The loss was just the second of the season for the Sanford nine (19-2), both coming at the hands of the Lightning (14-7), which is now on a league-best 5-game winning streak, and leads the Orlando Snappers (15-8), who saw their winning streak snapped at four games on Saturday, by percentage points for second place.
Now into the second half of the season, the River Rats still hold a commanding 5-game lead over the Lightning and Snappers and the other three teams are already on the verge of being eliminated from the Regular Season race.
With the 4th of July Holiday coming up on Friday and the All-Star Break set for early next week, the schedule will be very disjointed and will also see all six teams playing on a rare Sunday evening.
Here are the standings (as of June 29):
1. Sanford River Rats, 19-2; 2. Leesburg Lightning, 14-7, 5 games behind; 3. Orlando Snappers, 15-8, 5 games behind; 4. (tie) Winter Garden Squeeze and DeLand Suns, 8-15, 12 games behind; 6. Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, 3-20, 17 games behind.
The FCSL also announced its third Pitcher and Player of the Week this past Monday.
Here is the Press Release from the FCSL’s Adrian Delgado (UCF):
Throughout the 2025 season, the Florida Collegiate Summer League will honor two players at the conclusion of each week, an FCSL Player of the Week and an FCSL Pitcher of the Week. This week's honors represent performances from Monday, June 16, through Saturday, June 21. The weekly honors are selected via a vote of league coaches and officials.
For the second week in a row, Drew Pynes (St. Petersburg) of the Winter Garden Squeeze was honored as the FCSL Player of the Week. Pynes earned the honor on the back of his gargantuan performance in a Tuesday doubleheader against Winter Park. In a pair of games with the Dawgs - his former team - Pynes went 4-for-5, belting three home runs and driving in six during a Squeeze sweep.
Pynes' three home run day ties him for the current FCSL lead in longballs. The second year Florida Leaguer also ranks third in runs batted in, and is among the top six in the Florida League in both batting average and slugging percentage. He is currently one of three FCSL players with an OPS of 1.000 or better.
Florida Southern product Andrew Furey gave the Squeeze a sweep of the weekly awards, as he was honored as the FCSL Pitcher of the Week.
In a Monday start, the 2024 FCSL All-Star was brilliant, striking out nine hitters across six innings in a 10-1 victory over Winter Park. The righthander did not walk a batter and allowed just two hits, facing just two two over the minimum.
Furey has been one of the Florida League's best over the first three and a half weeks. He currently ranks among the top 10 pitchers in the FCSL in innings pitched, strikeouts and earned run average. In his four appearances this season, Furey has allowed just two earned runs over 15 innings, striking out 17 hitters without allowing a walk.
Additionally, the Florida League will honor one player from each team that was not selected as Player or Pitcher of the Week.
Florida League Honor Roll (Hitters) _ Gavin Thomas (DeLand/Davidson), Cole Bullen (Leesburg/Florida), Stewart Puckett (Sanford/Portal), Hutson Guinn (Orlando/Undecided), Roberto Odor (Winter Park/Saint Leo).
Florida League Honor Roll (Pitchers) _ Paul Janeczko (DeLand/Undecided), Austin Peddycoart (Leesburg/Southeastern), Trey Clinton (Sanford/Georgia SouthWestern), Dominick Venta (Orlando/Catonsville), Luke Ridley (Winter Park/Old Dominion).
Results:
Monday, June 23 _ River Rats 7, Diamond Dawgs 3; Snappers 3, Suns 2; Lightning 6, Squeeze 3.
Tuesday, June 24 _ Snappers 7, Diamond Dawgs 2; River Rats 12, Squeeze 5; Lightning 6, Suns 5.
Wednesday, June 25 _ No games scheduled.
Thursday, June 26 _ River Rats vs. Lightning, rain; Diamond Dawgs 10, Suns 9; Snappers 5, Squeeze 3.
Friday, June 27 _ Lightning 10, River Rats 5; Snappers 5, Squeeze 3; Diamond Dawgs vs. Suns, rain.
Saturday, June 28 _ River Rats vs. Lightning, rain; Suns 4-2, Diamond Dawgs 3-1; Squeeze 5, Snappers 1.
Sunday, June 29 _ No games scheduled.
Here is the upcoming schedule:
Wednesday, July 2
No games scheduled.
Thursday, July 3
Lightning vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 5 p.m.; River Rats vs. Squeeze, Horizon High School, 6:30 p.m.; Diamond Dawgs vs. Snappers, Orel Hershiser Field at The First Academy-Orlando, 7 p.m.
Friday, July 4
Lightning vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 5
River Rats vs. Squeeze, Horizon High School, 6:30 p.m.; Diamond Dawgs vs. Lightning, Buddy Lowe Field at Pat Thomas Stadium, 7 p.m.; Suns vs. Snappers, Orel Hershiser Field at The First Academy-Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 6
Diamond Dawgs vs. River Rats, Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m.; Lightning vs. Squeeze, Horizon High School, 5 p.m.; Snappers vs. Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 5 p.m.
Monday, July 7
No games scheduled. All-Star Break.
Tuesday, July 8
All-Star Game at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. Home Run Derby, 6 p.m.; Game: East vs. West, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9
No games scheduled. All-Star Game make-up day.
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/.
* Buy single game tickets to your team's home games. Prices are $10 for Adults and $5 for Seniors (60+), Kids (age 7-12) and Military w/ID.
* Thirsty Thursdays _ Join the Sanford River Rats for $3 Thirsty Thursdays at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium! Presented by Budweiser and Wayne Densch of Sanford.
Go to _ www.floridaleague.com _ for more information.
