The Redlegs finally broke their pattern of alternating wins
and losses by getting their second straight win on Saturday
night, defeating the Wright Knights 14-11 at Athletes in
Action in Xenia. They used a 10 run 7th inning to rally
from a 7-2 deficit in the effort.
The Redlegs struck first when Kyle Arend manufactured a run
in the top of the 1st. After the first two batters grounded
out, Kyle worked a walk then stole 2nd (his first of 3 on
the night) then moved to 3rd and finally scored on passed
balls. But the Knights scored twice in their opening frame
to take a 2-1 lead after 1. In the 2nd, a potential run
producing inning was ended early as the leadoff hitter
smacked a grounder between 1st and 2nd. 1st basemen James
Robinson was able to make a sliding back handed grab and hit
starting pitcher Branden Heinemen just in time to get the
base runner. The Knights got on the board again in the
4th, scoring twice more to push their lead to 4-1. The
Redlegs got one back in the top of the 5th. Matt Mattice
started the inning with a single and eventually came around
to score on a fielder’s choice ground out by pitcher Branden
Heinemen. The Knights then pushed their lead again, scoring
3 more times in the 5th to push their advantage to 7-2.
Kevin Campbell took over on the mound in the 6th and would
eventually get the win, but was quickly helped out by Matt
Mattice who made a spectacular over the shoulder catch at
the fence in left field that took away extra bases from the
Knights leadoff man Jerel Bristol.
The Redlegs would finally take the lead in the 7th, scoring
10 times, and would not look back from there. Brandon
Howard reached on an error to start the inning and was
quickly driven in by James Robinson with a double. Jackson
Millard then worked a walk before Mattice drove his 2nd hit
of the game right back up the middle to drive in Robinson.
Brandon Longacre then walked setting up a bases loaded
situation for Kyle Weldon who was claimed off of waivers on
Thursday. Weldon would work a bases loaded walk in his
first career MVABL at bat. Matt Redman then singled in a
run to make it 7-6. After a strikeout for the 2nd out,
Jacob Robinson delivered a bases clearing triple to put the
Redlegs up 9-7. Kyle Arend then tripled in Robinson and
scored on a double by Brandon Howard. James Robinson then
got his 2nd hit and 2nd RBI of the inning doubling in
Brandon Howard. The Redlegs took advantage of a Knight
fielding miscue to get an insurance run in the top of the
8th to make it 13-7.
But the Knights wouldn’t go down without a fight, scoring 4
more times in the bottom of the 8th to make it a 2 run game
at 13-11. The Redlegs were able to add a much needed
insurance run in the top of the 9th. Brandon Howard walked,
stole 2nd, and then moved around to score on a groundball
out and passed ball.
Kyle Weldon came on for the save in the bottom of the 9th
and kept the Knights down, recording 2 punch outs and a fly
out to end the game.
Boxscore
| K Campbell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| K Arend | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| B Howard | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| J Robinson | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| J Millard | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| M Mattice | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| J McCurdy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Bradley | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| B Heinemen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| M Redman | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| M Morrison | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B Longacre | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| K Weldon | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2B: Howard; Robinson
3B: Robinson; Arend
| B Heinemen | 5 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| K Campbell (W) | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| K Weldon (S) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |