Olympia alum Kyle Corbin bounces back from injury to spark Squeeze -- Observer Preps

LEESBURG The night before Kyle Corbin had his biggest game of the summer, he was working late.

"I've been putting in a lot of work — last night I actually hit at the cage from 12:30 (a.m.) to 1:30 (a.m.) at night," Corbin said moments after the Squeeze's 9-4 win over Leesburg Tuesday in the Florida Collegiate Summer League Playoff Play-In Game. "I've been putting a lot of work to get back, so I can help my team win and hold up a trophy at the end of this year."

Corbin went 3-for-4 in the game against the Lightning, homering in the third inning and driving in three runs, total. 

The Olympia High alum and junior outfielder for Bethune-Cookman has been a spark since returning from a sprained shoulder injury July 25. He has hit .400 over the past seven games, with five RBIs and a pair of extra-base hits.

The injury forced him to miss a month of action, from June 25 to July 25, but Squeeze manager Jay Welsh is certainly happy to have him back.

"He was just locked in," Welsh said. "When he's going really well, he lets the ball get deep — and I get a great view from the third base coach's box — he lets the ball get deep and just gets those quick hands involved. He had a huge game."

On the season, including eight games before he got injured in June, Corbin is hitting .340. As an everyday starter for Bethune-Cookman this past spring, Corbin hit .269 with 25 RBIs and 40 runs scored. 

He'll return his attention towards prepping for his senior season with the Wildcats shortly, but hopefully not before he and the Squeeze — who begin a best-of-three in the FCSL Semifinals today against Sanford — make a run at a league championship.

"I hope we just keep doing well and keep going," Corbin said. "I want to play at the Trop."

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].