Dominant Pitching and 6-Run 6th Inning Propels Flying Tigers to 6-0 Start in 10-2 Win over Daytona
Published on April 9, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Lakeland Flying Tigers News Release
The Lakeland Flying Tigers (6-0) extended their unbeaten run to start the 2026 campaign with a 10-2 win over the Daytona Tortugas (1-5) on Thursday afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium. For the second consecutive game, all nine starters reached base while Lakeland pitching struck out a season-high 17.
The Flying Tigers began the scoring in the bottom of the second off Daytona starter Jake Brink. Sergio Tapia led off the inning with a single, moved to second on an Anibal Salas single and scored on an RBI single from Jude Warwick, giving Lakeland a 1-0 lead.
Lakeland added one more in the third off Brink. Juan Hernandez singled, advanced to second on a Nolan McCarthy base hit and scored on a Tapia groundout, extending its lead to 2-0.
Ben Jacobs got the start for the Flying Tigers, going 3.2 shutout innings while allowing just two hits and striking out seven.
The Flying Tigers broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning. After Salas scored on a balk from Tortugas reliever Nelfri Payano, Hernandez cleared the bases with a three-run double, pushing the home team's lead to 6-0. Salas later smacked a two-run double that scored Hernandez and McCarthy, extending Lakeland's lead to 8-0.
Lakeland added two more off reliever Bryce Archie in the fifth. After Warwick walked, Beau Ankeney crushed a two-run homer to cap off the scoring for the home side. Daytona scored two unearned runs in the eighth off Yendy Gomez after an RBI triple from Henry Hunter and a sacrifice fly from Anthuan Valencia, resulting in a 10-2 Flying Tigers win.
Pedro Garcia (1-0) got the win, going 1.1 hitless innings while punching out three. Andrew Pogue pitched 2.0 shutout innings in relief, striking out four. Brink (1-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six across 3.0 innings.
The Flying Tigers look for the series victory on Friday as they host the Tortugas at 6:30 p.m in the fourth game of a six-game set. Lakeland's Malachi Witherspoon (0-0, 2.25) is set to face Edgar Colon (0-0, 3.60).
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