With the Florida Collegiate Summer League playoffs set to begin next week, the Leesburg Lightning are in a dead heat with the Orlando Snappers, both sitting at 18-13, as they battle for the coveted No. 2 seed and home-field advantage in the semifinals.

While both teams are locked into a semifinal showdown, the question remains, who will host?

That answer will be determined over the next two games as Leesburg hits the road to face Orlando in a pivotal series beginning Friday night and concluding Saturday. The winner of the series will earn the right to host the best-of-three semifinal series, while the other team will travel for Game 1.

It’s been an electrifying season for Leesburg under head coach Rich Billings. The Lightning have shown firepower at the plate and consistency on the mound. Charles Keller has been a standout with his bat, while ace Blake Tipmore continues to shine as one of the league’s top arms. Local talents Ledger Pleasant and Trey Craft have also made significant contributions.

The atmosphere in Leesburg has been fun and also a bit wet this summer. Regardless, fans are hopeful the Lightning can lock up the No. 2 seed and host playoff baseball next week. A home series at Pat Thomas Stadium is always a treat. Leesburg consistently has among the leagues top fan bases packing the stadium every night.

Meanwhile, the Sanford River Rats have already secured the No. 1 seed with a dominant 25-3 record, setting the bar high for the rest of the league.

With everything on the line this weekend, the final two regular-season games promise to deliver drama, and playoff-level excitement as Leesburg and Orlando clash for positioning.

The FCSL playoffs begin next week.

Photo Credit – Leesburg Lightning