Diamond Dawgs get squeezed by Winter Garden

The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs had a squeeze put on them in two narrow heartbreakers at home to start last weekend. Then they got back at the Winter Garden Squeeze in a big way.

Battling for the lead in the league standings heading into the meat of the season, the Dawgs were even with the Squeeze before the series began. They would end the series with a 7-5 record, just a game behind their new rival. In their first season in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, the Squeeze are officially juicing the competition.

It started June 13 when the Dawgs took the lead in the fifth when Peter Nicoletto hit his second triple of the game and was singled in by Kyle Cavanaugh. Then it all fell apart in the seventh when the Dawgs’ pitcher Colton Freeman walked the bases loaded, walked in a run, then threw a wild pitch that scored two runs when a Three Stooges act ensued at home plate. They would lose that game 4-2.

The Dawgs would lose the next game too, by a frustrating 5-4 margin that came in the final inning of the game. After a two-run rally put the Squeeze on top, the Dawgs scored one of their own, but it wouldn’t be enough.

On June 15 the Dawgs had their revenge on the Squeeze’s home field, coming back from a 3-1 deficit and going on to rout the Squeeze 8-4 thanks to timely hitting by every starter in the lineup.

After a pair of games at press time, the Dawgs return to the field at 7 p.m. June 19 against the Leesburg Lightning. Then it’s over to Sanford Memorial Stadium against the Rats at 7 p.m. June 20 and back home against the Rats at 7 p.m. June 21.