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Mussels eliminated from playoff contention after doubleheader defeat

By Staff | Sep 7, 2024

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels were eliminated from playoff contention after being swept in Friday’s doubleheader by the Lakeland Flying Tigers, who clinched the second half championship in the FSL West.

The Mussels (64-59, 33-25) had a six-game lead in the standings over Lakeland (80-48, 38-25) on Aug. 16, but saw that lead disappear over the past two weeks after losing seven straight games.

Lakeland earned the best overall record in the FSL West by 12.5 games and had missed out on a first half playoff spot by finishing a half game behind the Clearwater Threshers due to a canceled contest.

Game one of the doubleheader was a continuation of Thursday’s game and resumed with the Mussels leading 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The lead was short lived as the Flying Tigers scored five unanswered runs from the third to the sixth inning to go ahead 5-2.

In the top of the seventh, the Mussels got a run back on an RBI single from Kyle DeBarge to make it 5-3.

Lakeland responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run homer from Jose De La Cruz, making it 7-3. That score would hold over the final two innings.

In game two, Lakeland got to Mussels’ starter Ross Dunn (1-5) in the second inning. Archer Brookman crushed a leadoff home run to left to open the scoring. After a single and a walk put two men on, David Smith then tacked on two runs with a double. Third baseman Jack Penney followed with a double of his own to make it 4-0.

Lakeland added some insurance in the sixth when Jack Penney deposited a two-out, two-run single to center to extend the lead 6-0. Cole Patten and Andrew Sears combined for a two-hit shutout in the win. Patten went four innings and Sears went three.

With two games left to play, the Mussels will return to action today at 6 p.m. Adrian Bohorquez (0-0, 2.70) starts for Fort Myers, opposite LHP Hayden Minton (4-5, 4.53) of Lakeland. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.