The Redlegs met up with the undefeated South Dayton Slammers
on Sunday on an overcast and rainy day out at Preble Shawnee
High School. While Mother Nature provided the rain the
Redlegs and Slammers provided the thunder, pounding out a
combined 42 hits, 6 homeruns, and 39 combined runs.
The Slammers put a run on the board in the 1st inning, but
the Redlegs tied it up in the 2nd when Brandon Howard
launched a mammoth homerun deep into the trees beyond the
left field fence at Preble Shawnee. The Slammers answered
in the top of the 3rd, scoring 3 more times for a 4-1
advantage. In the bottom of the 3rd the Redlegs chipped
away at the lead, scoring when Matt Morrison drove in Justin
McCurdy on a single (McCurdy had doubled to lead off the
inning) and Matt then later came around to score on a wild
pitch.
The Slammers promptly put 5 more runs on the board in the
4th to take, what appeared to be at the time, a commanding
9-3 lead. But the Redlegs continued to keep it close,
scoring 3 of their own in the bottom half of the 4th.
Howard led the inning off with a walk and later scored on a
single from James Robinson. Robinson would then later score
on a throwing error that allowed Justin McCurdy to reach
base. Matt Morrison later would drive in his 2nd run of the
game on a sacrifice fly. With the lead cut to 9-6, the
Slammers put together their biggest inning yet, scoring 6
more times in the top of the 5th. Branden Heinemen came on
in relief for the Camden Club with 1 out in the top of the
5th and was able to get two quick pop outs to stop the
bleeding, but the Slammers had the 15-6 advantage as the
Redlegs offense came back to the plate. The Redlegs
answered by producing 7 more runs in the bottom of the 5th.
Kevin Campbell, Jacob Robinson, and Kyle Arend singled
consecutively to start the inning, giving the Redlegs a
great chance to do some damage with the bases loaded and no
outs. Howard then worked a walk to bring in a run and 2
batters later James Robinson singled in two more. Jackson
Millard then walked to re-load the bases before Justin
McCurdy hit a scorching line drive over the center field
fence for his first homerun of the season and first career
Grand Slam.
It seemed to be a new game after 5, with the Redlegs now
trailing only by 2 runs as the score stood at 15-13.
Heinemen pitched a scoreless 6th and 7th, with a little help
from Jackson Millard, who made a spectacular diving catch on a
foul ball popup to end a potential rally in the 6th. The
Redlegs offense was able to tie the game in the bottom of
the 6th. Campbell and Robinson led off with back-to-back
singles and moved to 2nd and 3rd on a passed ball. Campbell
would then score on another ball passed the catcher and
Robinson would score on an RBI single from Brandon Longacre.
Just when it seemed the Redlegs had the momentum and would
finally take a lead, the Slammers scored 3 more times in the
top of the 8th inning to take an 18-15 lead. That rally was
stymied by another outstanding play from Millard, as he caught
a foul ball deep behind the plate. The Slammers had a
runner in motion on the play and Millard was able to gun him
down on his way back to first, as he led 2nd basemen
Brandon Howard (who alertly covered the bag) and Howard was
able to make the snag at 1st for the double play.
As the rain began to fall harder, the Redlegs brought the
top of their lineup to the plate looking to come back once
again. But Campbell and Robinson were victims of the
strikeout to start the inning, making a comeback bid in the
8th look like a long shot.
But the Redlegs rallied.
Kyle Arend worked a walk before Howard blasted a homerun
through the rain to straight away center field, cutting the
deficit to 18-17. Brandon Longacre then was hit by a pitch
before James Robinson walked to put 2 more runners on.
Redlegs backstop Jackson Millard then shot a slicing line drive
over the right field fence to give the Redlegs a 20-18 lead,
capping off a 5 run 2 out rally for the home team.
Heinemen went out to finish it in the top of the 9th with a
2 run lead, but the Slammers would make things interesting
once again. Rick Anderson led the inning off with a double,
followed by a single from Curtis Carson to put runners on
the corners with no outs. Heinemen then got a ground ball
that James Robinson was able to handle at 3rd and fire to
2nd to get the lead runner, but a run did score on the play
to make it 20-19. Heinemen then reached back and was able
to get a big strikeout for the 2nd out of the inning. Matt
Owens then doubled to put the tying run at 3rd and the go-
ahead run at 2nd with 2 outs. With the game on the line,
Heinemen was able to induce a popup in foul territory down
the 1st base line. Brandon Longacre was just able to track
it down and make a sliding catch to end the game.
The Redlegs will face another undefeated opponent in the
Fairborn A’s next weekend at Athletes in Action in Xenia.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm.
Boxscore
| K Campbell | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| K Arend | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| B Howard | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| B Longacre | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| J Millard | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| J McCurdy | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| M Morrison | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| M Redman | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2B: McCurdy
HR: Howard 2; Millard; McCurdy
| K Campbell | 4.33 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| B Heinemen (W) | 4.67 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |