Leesburg Lightning
Encyclopedia
The Leesburg Lightning are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Leesburg, Florida
. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League
(FCSL) and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium
. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season
.
where they defeated the Altamonte Springs Snappers 6-0 to win the FCSL championship. The team did not enjoy the same success in its second season however, finishing third in the regular season and losing in the semifinal playoff round to the eventual champions, the Clermont Mavericks
.
2009 brought a new head coach to the Lightning, former Major League Baseball
World Series MVP and Cy Young Award
winner Frank Viola
. Frank's knowledge of the game helped transform the group into a winner, as they finished with a 21-18 record. The Lightning led the league in batting average (.274) and homeruns (19). After defeating the Belleview Bulldogs 2-0 in the semifinal, they went on to bring home the championship vs. the team that knocked them out the previous year, the Clermont Mavericks by a score of 5-1.
Viola returned in 2010 and helped the Lightning to their second straight 3rd place finish. They finished first in the league in hits with 361, and second in the league in doubles (73), homeruns (12), and total bases (478). After disposing of the Sanford River Rats
in the semi-finals of the playoffs 2-0, the Lightning headed back to the championship game vs. the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs
. In a hard fought game, the Diamond Dawgs were able to defeat the Lightning by a score of 1-0.
The Brooklyn Cyclones
offered Viola a coaching position, and Dave Therneau stepped in to coach the Lightning for the 2011 season. He wasted little time proving that he could match Viola's success, leading the Lightning to a FCSL record 29-12 record. On offense, the team led the league in hits (392), runs (241), doubles (66), RBI (195), total bases (498), and walks (88). Shortstop Jake Tillotson set an FCSL record with 63 and scored a league high 42 runs while batting .371 at the plate. The pitching staff was equally impressive, posting league highs in ERA (3.28) and saves (12) and was 2nd in strikeouts (317) and WHIP (1.35). Relief pitcher Ethan Bader was named reliever of the year, leading the entire league in strikeouts with 47 in only 30.2 innings pitched. He had an ERA of 0.29 on the season. Despite the great balance on both sides of the ball, the Lightning fell in a three games series to the #4 seed Sanford River Rats.
Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system....
. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League
Florida Collegiate Summer League
The Florida Collegiate Summer League is a six-team wood bat collegiate summer baseball league located in the central Florida region of the southeastern United States. The league was founded in the fall of 2003 and began play in the summer of 2004...
(FCSL) and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium
Pat Thomas Stadium
Pat Thomas Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Leesburg, Florida. The Stadium has a capacity of about 2,000 people and was a former minor league baseball stadium and current amateur baseball stadium.- Stadium History :...
. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season
2007 FCSL season
The 2007 FCSL season was the fourth season in the history of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida. The league's Winter Pines franchise, the Winter Pines Warthogs, folded after two...
.
History
The Lightning joined the FCSL in 2007 as an expansion team. According to league officials, Leesburg was a natural pick due to its rich baseball history. This gave the league five franchises. In their inaugural season, the Lightning reached the FCSL championship game at Tropicana FieldTropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...
where they defeated the Altamonte Springs Snappers 6-0 to win the FCSL championship. The team did not enjoy the same success in its second season however, finishing third in the regular season and losing in the semifinal playoff round to the eventual champions, the Clermont Mavericks
Clermont Mavericks
The Orlando Mavericks are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Orlando, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at The First Academy...
.
2009 brought a new head coach to the Lightning, former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
World Series MVP and Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
. Frank's knowledge of the game helped transform the group into a winner, as they finished with a 21-18 record. The Lightning led the league in batting average (.274) and homeruns (19). After defeating the Belleview Bulldogs 2-0 in the semifinal, they went on to bring home the championship vs. the team that knocked them out the previous year, the Clermont Mavericks by a score of 5-1.
Viola returned in 2010 and helped the Lightning to their second straight 3rd place finish. They finished first in the league in hits with 361, and second in the league in doubles (73), homeruns (12), and total bases (478). After disposing of the Sanford River Rats
Sanford River Rats
The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River...
in the semi-finals of the playoffs 2-0, the Lightning headed back to the championship game vs. the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs
Winter Park Diamond Dawgs
The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium...
. In a hard fought game, the Diamond Dawgs were able to defeat the Lightning by a score of 1-0.
The Brooklyn Cyclones
Brooklyn Cyclones
The Brooklyn Cyclones is a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at MCU Park just off the Coney Island boardwalk in the New York City borough of Brooklyn....
offered Viola a coaching position, and Dave Therneau stepped in to coach the Lightning for the 2011 season. He wasted little time proving that he could match Viola's success, leading the Lightning to a FCSL record 29-12 record. On offense, the team led the league in hits (392), runs (241), doubles (66), RBI (195), total bases (498), and walks (88). Shortstop Jake Tillotson set an FCSL record with 63 and scored a league high 42 runs while batting .371 at the plate. The pitching staff was equally impressive, posting league highs in ERA (3.28) and saves (12) and was 2nd in strikeouts (317) and WHIP (1.35). Relief pitcher Ethan Bader was named reliever of the year, leading the entire league in strikeouts with 47 in only 30.2 innings pitched. He had an ERA of 0.29 on the season. Despite the great balance on both sides of the ball, the Lightning fell in a three games series to the #4 seed Sanford River Rats.
Playoff Appearances
| Year | First round | Semifinals (best-of-3) | FCSL championship game | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 FCSL season The 2007 FCSL season was the fourth season in the history of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida. The league's Winter Pines franchise, the Winter Pines Warthogs, folded after two... |
Altamonte Springs Snappers | W (6-0) | ||||
| 2008 | Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
W (3-1) | Clermont Mavericks Clermont Mavericks The Orlando Mavericks are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Orlando, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at The First Academy... |
L 0-2 | ||
| 2009 | Belleview Bulldogs Belleview Bulldogs The Belleview Bulldogs were a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Ocala, Florida. The team was a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and played its home games at the Ocala Rotary Sportsplex. The team joined the FCSL in the 2008 season... |
W 2-0 | Clermont Mavericks Clermont Mavericks The Orlando Mavericks are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Orlando, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at The First Academy... |
W (5-1) | ||
| 2010 | Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
W (3-0), W (9-8) | Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Winter Park Diamond Dawgs The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium... |
L (1-0) | ||
| 2011 | Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
W (2-1), L (4-3), L (9-2) |