Over the weekend, the Lakers hosted the Sinclair Community College Tartans in a four game series. The teams split the weekend as the Lakers won the first game on both days only to drop the second game afterwards. In game one, Lakeland pitcher Anthony Miller led the way as he pitched the complete game only allowing three hits, two runs (one earned), while striking out nine in the 5-2 victory. Miller cruised for the most part until he started to tire in the fifth. However, he put in a gutsy performance and wound up shutting the door on the Spartans. The Lakers only managed four hits in this game. Adam Samuels was a key contributor as he went two for three with two RBI singles. Mitchell dragon also picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk in the seventh inning. In an oddity, Dillon Rohm did not have an official at-bat, but knocked in two runs with sac flies; then walked and scored in his third plate appearance.
Game 2 did not fare as well for the Lakers. Starter Robbie Kalinowski battled for seven innings for the Lakers allowing all seven runs on nine hits and three walks. The runs were all scored during innings five, six and seven. Anthony Ward then came on and pitched two innings of two hit ball. For Kalinowski, the toughest inning was the fifth inning. He had cruised through the first four innings pitching to only two batters over the minimum. In the fifth, a lead-off single was followed by a pair of walks. The Tartans then hit a single and a double to seal the Lakers fate. Offensively, the Lakers were led by Garrett Sierra's three hits. Levi Jones, Spencer Schultz, and Alex Medina also had strong games with two hits each. Adam Samuels added a double in the 7-1 loss.
In game one on Saturday, the Lakers came away with a 2-0 victory as Hudson Widrig pitched the complete game victory allowing only four hits while striking out seven. In this game, all of the scoring occurred in the bottom of the first inning. In the first, the Lakers' Cody Pittenger led off with a single and advanced on an error by the left fielder. Garrett Sierra then singled Pittenger in and advanced on an error by the first baseman. He later scored on a sac fly from Levi Jones. That was it for both teams as the Tartans Kyle Ruehlman and the Lakers Widrig shut both teams down for the rest of the game. Adam Samuels and Garrett Sierra led the way for the Lakers with two hits each.
In game two, nothing could go right for the Lakers as the Tartans pounded out 20 hits in a five inning 26-2 victory for Sinclair. It was clearly just one of those games for Lakeland as they used five different pitchers in the game with the first four having very little success. Mitchell dragon made an appearance on the mound for the Lakers pitching the final .2 innings and not allowing a hit. Offensively for the Lakers, Alex Medina collected two hits while Garrett Sierra was one for two (2B) and scored a run.
The Lakers are scheduled to travel to Maryland Tuesday and play the Garrett College Lakers in a twin bill. The Lakers home schedule has been altered as they will now play Edison State College Saturday and Sunday (4/22-4/23). Game times are at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.