Lakeland Snaps Five-Game Skid, Rides Six-Run Eighth Inning to 11-5 Win over Fort Myers
FSL Lakeland Flying Tigers

Lakeland Snaps Five-Game Skid, Rides Six-Run Eighth Inning to 11-5 Win over Fort Myers

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


Spurred by a six-run eighth inning, the Lakeland Flying Tigers (26-26) snapped their five-game losing streak with an 11-5 win over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (30-23) on Wednesday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lakeland kicked off the scoring with three runs in the first off starter Charlee Soto. Jordan Yost hit a leadoff single and Jude Warwick walked. Edian Espinal drove both runners home on a two-run triple and scored on an error, giving the Flying Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Fort Myers fought back to tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth off starter Cash Kuiper. Enrique Jimenez reached on a leadoff single and moved to second and third on two separate errors which allowed Henry Kusiak and Graham Brown to reach. Quentin Young drove Jimenez in on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Kusiak and Brown each scored on Lakeland's third error of the inning, knotting the game at 3-3.

The Mighty Mussels briefly took the lead in the fifth off reliever Eliseo Mota. Four walks, capped off by an RBI walk from Brown, allowed the visitors to take a 4-3 lead.

The Flying Tigers immediately countered in the bottom half off reliever Kolten Smith. Anibal Salas singled and moved to second on a walk from Yost. Warwick scored both runners on a two-run triple as Lakeland surged ahead 5-4.

Fort Myers responded again in the seventh off reliever Jan Caraballo. JP Smith II smacked a game-tying inside-the-park home run to level the score at 5-5.

Lakeland countered with a game-deciding six-run eighth, with three runs each being charged to Smith and Jake Murray. Yost led off the inning with a hit by pitch, stole second and moved to third on a single from Warwick. Beau Ankeney ripped a go-ahead two-run double to put the Flying Tigers ahead 8-6. Espinal reached on a hit by pitch and Carson Rucker walked to load the bases. Hunter Dobbins crushed a grand slam to left field to cap the scoring at 11-5.

With the win, Lakeland snapped its five-game losing streak while snapping the Might Mussels six-game winning streak.

Caraballo (2-1) earned the win, hurling 2.0 innings while allowing one run and punching out two. Smith (2-1) took the loss, surrendering five runs on four hits while striking out six and walking one over 3.0 innings.

The Flying Tigers look to take the series lead as they host Fort Myers at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lakeland sends RHP Malachi Witherspoon (2-1, 5.18) to the hill to face Fort Myers RHP Justin Mitrovich (0-1, 1.15).

Check out the Lakeland Flying Tigers Statistics

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Florida State League Stories from June 3, 2026


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