‘Tees hold on to beat Lakeland, 5-4

BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES

Walker

LAKELAND, FLORIDA – A two-out three-run home run by Mike Walker in the top of the ninth broke a 2-2 tie and Brevard County Manatees were able to hang on to beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 5-4 tonight at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.

Brevard County was down 1-0 going into the seventh inning and had been held to just one hit up to that point. T.J. Mittelstaedt was able to get the ‘Tees on the scoreboard in the inning with a solo homer to right to tie the game.

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The Manatees would take a 2-1 lead in the eighth as Reggie Keen’s two-out double scored Walker. Walker led off the inning with a walk and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shea Vucinich and then to third on a ground out by Shawn Zarraga.

Lakeland tied the game in the bottom of the inning thanks to a two-out bloop single by Daniel Fields off of Alan Williams, which scored Wade Gaynor.

In the top of the ninth, Nick Shaw led the inning off with a single and would move to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mittelstaedt. Cody Hawn was then intentionally walked by Bruce Rondon, so the Flying Tigers could get a righty-righty match-up with Scott Krieger. That moved paid off as Krieger struck out swinging.

Rondon then had to face the left-handing hitting Walker and Walker proceeded to hit a three-run homer to right and Brevard County took a 5-2 lead.

Casey Medlen then came in to close the game in the bottom of the ninth and gave up two runs and put the tying run on first base, but he was able to shut the door for his second straight save.

Starting pitcher Austin Ross did not factor into the decision as he went five innings and allowed one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out four.

The Manatees and Flying Tigers will be back in action in Lakeland on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. for the middle game of their three-game series.

2011 first round draft pick Taylor Jungmann (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his second professional start on Tuesday night. He went five innings and allowed one run in Brevard County’s opening day win against the Daytona Cubs last Thursday night.

For Lakeland, southpaw Shawn Teufel will take the mound. Last season, Teufel went 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 22 appearances for the Flying Tigers in 2011. He was 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA in three appearances against the ‘Tees last season.