The Redlegs (3) drew a hot Miami Valley Thunder (6) squad as their first round opponent in the 2013 MVABL Memorial Day Tournament. The Redlegs trailed for 8 innings in this game, but would score when it mattered most on the way to the club’s first franchise walk off victory.

Kevin Campbell took the ball for the Redlegs and kept the Redlegs close over 8 innings of work. Campbell struck out 4 and gave up 4 earned runs in the outing. The Redlegs got Campbell a quick lead, scoring twice in the bottom of the 1st inning. Matt Redman started things off with a walk and stole 2nd base and moved to 3rd on a passed ball. Jacob Robinson would then walk and steal 2nd. Brandon Howard then popped a ball out into foul territory behind first base, and Redman read the play perfectly and was able to make it a sacrifice fly and give the team a 1-0 lead. Jacob Robinson would then score when his brother James drove a ball to shortstop that was misplayed enough to allow him to reach and push the 2nd run across.

But the Redlegs would not score again until the 7th after that, meanwhile the Thunder would pile up 6 runs to take 6-2 lead. In the bottom of the 6th Jackson Millard was hit by a pitch and moved to 3rd on an infield single by Jacob Robinson. Millard would then score on a wild pitch. After walks by Brandon Howard and James Robinson to load the bases, Thunder reliever Evan Koogler was able to get out of the jam by recording back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

Going into the bottom of the 9th the Redlegs trailed 6-3, and with the lack of offense the team was showing things looked bleak. But the Redlegs would rally. Jacob Robinson and Brandon Howard would walk to start the inning before James Robinson would drive in the younger Robinson on a single. Steve Benthal then walked to load the bases. Matt Mattice then hit a swinging bunt that looked like it would produce an infield hit and a run, but Thunder reliever Ryan Callison made a nice play to scoop it up and flip it to the plate to beat the runner and record the first out. Justin McCurdy then worked a walk to make it 6-5 which led to Jared Bradley working a walk to tie the ball game. Callison then recorded a strikeout to set up a bases loaded, 2 out, 6-6 tie situation with Jackson Millard at the plate. Millard stroked the first pitch right passed the 3rd basemen to drive home the winning run in walk off fashion. Millard also pitched a scoreless top of the 9th to record the win.

The Redlegs advance to take on the Fairborn Athletics at 1:00 at Kettering Fields on Sunday.

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