Sprock’s Big Day Not Enough in Series Finale Loss to Flying Tigers

Sprock’s Big Day Not Enough in Series Finale Loss to Flying Tigers

BOX SCORE

LAKELAND, Fla. (June 7, 2026) - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels dropped the series finale to the Lakeland Flying Tigers by a final score of 5-3 from Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Sunday.

Despite Ryan Sprock’s big day, which included two hits and two RBI, the Mussels (33-24) fell in the series finale to Lakeland (27-29). Sprock hit .300 in five games this series, reaching base nine times over that stretch.

Fort Myers sent Ramiro Villanueva to the mound to make his seventh start of the season. Villanueva faced the minimum in the first, aided by a groundball double play with one on and one out to hold Lakeland scoreless.

Sprock tripled to lead off the second inning, however the Mussels could not capitalize and left him stranded at third base.

In the bottom of the second, two walks and a double steal put two runners in scoring position with no one out for Lakeland. Following a pair of strikeouts from Villanueva, he surrendered a two-run single to Javier Osorio to make it 2-0.

Villanueva exited after three innings. He allowed two runs on one hit, but walked three over 53 pitches. He gave way to Mitch Mueller, who struck out one in a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth inning.

Lakeland starter Charlie Christensen was dominant on Sunday. Sprock’s second inning triple was the only base runner he allowed, striking out eight over four strong frames.

Kolten Smith relieved Mueller in the fifth, working a clean inning as well.

Facing Joe Ruzicka in the top of the sixth, Fort Myers loaded up the bases with one out. Sprock’s sacrifice fly to right field put the Mighty Mussels on the board, 2-1.

Smith continued on into the sixth inning. With two outs, Beau Ankeney blasted a solo home run to extend the lead back to two runs. Ankeney’s fifth homer of the season snapped a streak of 12 consecutive hitters retired by Mussels’ pitching. It was the fifth streak of at least 10 consecutive batters retired by the staff in the series.

Brent Francisco (5-1) took over in the seventh inning, facing the minimum by striking out one and inducing a double play.

Dameury Pena led off the top of the eighth inning with a hard-hit single into left field. With two outs and Pena still at second, Sprock took a two-strike slider and flicked it into left center field to score the run.

Following a steal of second by Sprock, Graham Brown poked an RBI single behind the outstretched glove of Lakeland shortstop Jude Warwick. Fort Myers tied the game on three hits and three stolen bases in the frame.

The Flying Tigers responded in the bottom of the eighth. Three straight hits off of Francisco gave Lakeland the lead right back. Two runs ended up scoring in the inning as the Flying Tigers reestablished a two-run lead at 5-3.

The Mussels got the tying run to the plate in the ninth against Jatnk Diaz (1-1), but could not complete another comeback as they dropped the series finale.

Fort Myers returns home to begin a series with the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday, June 9. It is the final home series of the first half of the regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:40 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.

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