Lakeland Drops Series Opener 10-2 to Fort Myers
FSL Lakeland Flying Tigers

Lakeland Drops Series Opener 10-2 to Fort Myers

Published on June 3, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Lakeland Flying Tigers News Release


The Lakeland Flying Tigers (25-26) dropped to under .500 for the first time since April 2025 with a 10-2 loss to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (30-22) on Tuesday night's series opener at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lakeland kicked off the scoring in the second off starter Merit Jones on a Jesus Pinto solo blast, giving the Flying Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Fort Myers responded with three runs in the third off reliever Grayson Grinsell. Bryan Acuña tripled and Dameury Pena drove him in on an RBI single. Former Flying Tiger Enrique Jimenez, who reached base five times on the night, walked to put two runners on. JP Smith II walked to lead the bases and Henry Kusiak hit a two-run double, pushing Fort Myers ahead, 3-1.

The Flying Tigers responded with a Jack Goodman solo shot off Jones in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

The Mighty Mussels added three more off Grinsell in the fifth. Jimenez singled, moved to third on a double from Ramiro Dominguez and scored on a wild pitch. Smith crushed a two-run home run to extend the lead to 6-2.

The visitors tacked on three more in the seventh off Pedro Garcia. Kusiak reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a Graham Brown walk. Luis Fragoza doubled home Kuziak and Brown scored on a wild pitch. Fragoza moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch from Garcia, putting Fort Myers ahead 9-2.

The Mighty Mussels added one run in the ninth off Jose Guzman. Fragoza singled and scored on a double from Acuňa, capping the scoring at 10-2.

With the loss, Lakeland dropped its fifth straight game while Fort Myers won its sixth straight game.

Grinsell (3-2) took the loss, going 2.2 innings in relief and allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking two. Jones (2-1) earned the win, hurling 5.0 innings while allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out a career-high eight with just two walks.

The Flying Tigers look to even the series at 1-1 as they take on the Mighty Mussels at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Lakeland sends RHP Cash Kuiper (0-2, 7.11) to the hill to face Fort Myers RHP Charlee Soto (0-0, --).

Check out the Lakeland Flying Tigers Statistics

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Florida State League Stories from June 3, 2026


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