Lake County residents don’t have to travel to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg or Marlins Park in Miami to experience the thrill of watching a live baseball game. In fact, they can make a short drive to Pat Thomas Stadium and watch the Leesburg Lightning, one of six teams that compete in the Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL). Since the Lightning formed nine years ago, Pat Thomas Stadium has consistently become an electrifying environment on game day. Fans arrive several hours early to deliver baked goods to players in the dugout. Children and adults enthusiastically sing the Village People’s “YMCA” and spell out the letters using arms and hands. Dozens of volunteers brave the summer heat to man the concession stand, sell Lightning memorabilia, or perform maintenance on the field so the grass is greener than broccoli on game day. Public address announcer Chuck Johnson sings “Happy Birthday” to fans and players celebrating that special day. In fact, the Lightning’s support is unrivaled. The team averages nearly 1,300 fans for home games—twice as many as the other five teams in the FCSL. And that support extends well beyond Pat Thomas Stadium. Because the league is comprised of collegiate baseball players, several host families welcome the players to their homes for free during the two-month season.
“…people in this county love baseball, and having a team like the Lightning gives our fans a team they can be proud of.” — Tyler Brandeburg
(L–R) AUSTIN SIMMONS, TYLER BRANDEBURG, AND TANNER LONG
“The all-around support that our hometown team receives is amazing,” says Tyler Brandeburg, who is president of the Leesburg Lightning. “They really embrace the team and have never wavered in their support. One of the reasons so many people come to Lightning games is because of the atmosphere. We do not sell alcohol at the games, which translates into a fun family environment.”
LET’S PLAY BALL! The FCSL is a wooden bat league that allows collegiate players from around the country to continue playing during the summer and polish their skills against high-caliber competition. The Lightning fielded its first team in 2007 and since then has struck fast and furious. Leesburg became the league’s first team to capture two championships, the last coming in 2009 under former coach and major league pitcher Frank Viola. The team has advanced to the FCSL championship game held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg six times. Although the Lightning narrowly lost the championship game to the Sanford River Rats in 2015, expectations are high this season because 10 players are returning from last year’s team. The 2016 roster also features several collegiate players who played high school baseball in Lake County. Among them are Leesburg High School graduates Tanner Long (outfielder), Jason Baita (second base),
