Lakeland Uses Long Ball to Drown Manatees

Dustin DeMuth
Dustin DeMuth
The Lakeland Flying Tigers took down the Brevard County Manatees 7-3 on Friday, in game two of their series at Space Coast Stadium. It was the second straight win for Lakeland, who has had a lot of success against the Manatees this season.

Things started well for the ‘Tees, who broke out on top in the bottom of the first against Lakeland starter Jairo Labourt. Johnny Davis walked to lead off the inning and went to second on an Angel Ortega single. Davis was erased when George Iskenderian hit into a double play. Ortega went to second on the play and he scored when Dustin DeMuth laced a double to left, his fifth of the season.

The lead didn’t last long, with Lakeland answering back against Eric Hanhold in the top of the second. With one out, Casey Frawley hit a solo shot into the bullpen in left, tying the game at one.  

Joey Pankake, who had the game-winning hit in Thursday night’s victory, followed the home run with a single. Hanhold would then walk the next two batters, loading the bases. Wade Hinkle’s ground out put the Flying Tigers ahead, before Hanhold retired Ross Kivett to end the inning.
The Flying Tigers would add one to the lead in the top of the third, thanks to three straight hits from A.J. Simcox, Mike Gerber and Christin Stewart. Stewart’s hit was an RBI double. 

The Manatees got one back in the bottom of the inning. Johnny Davis led off with a single and came home on DeMuth’s two-out double. With that, the home nine were within one, at 3-2.
Hanhold (0-4) came out for the fifth, but gave up consecutive singles to Gerber, Stewart and Frawley, loading the bases. 

Clint Terry was summoned from the bullpen and gave up a sac fly to Pankake. With that, Hanhold’s night was done. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits, walked three and struck out two. He threw 90 pitches, 53 for strikes. Terry retired the next two batters, limiting the damage.

Brevard County (8-20) scored their final run of the night in the bottom of the frame. Davis led off with another single and went to second on an Ortega ground out. He moved to third on a balk and scored on Iskenderian’s ground out, closing the gap to 4-3. That would be the last inning for Labourt (3-0), who allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out six, throwing 89 pitches (60 strikes).

Lakeland (15-13) put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh. Frawley walked and went to second when Manatees’ killer Pankake singled. With two outs and two on, Hinkle took Terry deep and out, over the right-centerfield wall for his first homer of the year. That expanded the lead to 7-3 and that would be more than enough. Josh Uhen took over for Terry in the top of the eighth and retired the side in order, including two strikeouts.

For more info: Lakeland @ Brevard County boxscore

Johnny Davis (2-for-3), Angel Ortega (2-for-5) and DeMuth (2-for-4) had six of the Manatees eight hits Friday. Simcox, Gerber, Stewart, Frawley and Pankake follow one another in the Lakeland lineup and all of them had two hits in the win.


The series wraps up Saturday night at Space Coast Stadium. Bubba Derby (2-0, 2.49 ERA) will take the mound for Brevard County. He will be opposed by A.J. Ladwig (4-1, 1.50 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. 

This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 5/6/16

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