The Redlegs busy weekend would conclude with a 9 inning
affair with the 1st place South Dayton Slammers on Sunday
July 14th. It seems to be a roller coaster ride every time
these two teams get together, most recently a 20-19 slugfest
victory for the Redlegs earlier this season, and this game
would be no exception.
The visiting Redlegs would strike 1st as they put one run on
the board in the 2nd inning. Brandon Howard singled to
start the inning but he was quickly erased on a 1-6-3 double
play turned by the Slammers defense. But with 2 outs Justin
McCurdy was able to reach on an error and was eventually
able to score when Matt Morrison singled. The lead was
short lived though as the Slammers would take a 2-1 lead in
the bottom of the 3rd, highlighted by a homerun from Joey
Everhart.
But the Redlegs tied things up in the 4th when Matt Mattice
reached on a 2 out error and eventually came around to score
on a single by John Long. The Slammers would take the lead
right back in the bottom of the 4th, scoring once to make it
a 3-2 game.
The Redlegs would then reclaim the lead in the top of the
6th inning. The inning started with a double from James
Robinson and a single from Justin McCurdy. Back to back
Matt’s (Mattice and Morrison) then had consecutive hits (a
double and a single) to bring 2 runs home and give the
Redlegs a 4-3 lead. The bottom of the 6th looked to go the
Redlegs way. Campbell was able to induce a leadoff flyout
for the 1st out. Aaron Fannin then hit a hard groundball
between 3rd and short, but Redlegs shortstop Jacob Robinson
was able to make a diving backhanded snag and get to his
feet and deliver a strong enough throw to deny the hit. But
the Slammers wouldn’t let up, with 2 outs they would produce
3 hits, 2 of them being homeruns, to put 3 runs on the board
and take a 6-4 lead that looked like it might deflate the
Redlegs.
But the Redlegs fought back in the 7th. Jackson Millard led
off with a single and looked to be stranded as the Slammers
collected 2 outs, but James Robinson delivered a clutch 2
out RBI to make it a one run game at 6-5. After a quiet
8th, the Redlegs came to bat in the top of the 9th with one
more shot to tie or take the lead. Kyle Arend led off with
a single and Brandon Howard was hit by a pitch to put 2
runners on with 1 out. James Robinson then delivered again,
driving another clutch hit into the outfield to plate the
tying run. Justin McCurdy then drove another run home to
give the Redlegs a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the
9th.
After 5 lead changes, it hardly seemed like the Slammers
could do it again. But the Slammers would not go away.
Matt Owens led the inning off with a double. After a fly
out, Dean Grandfield drove in the tying run to make it 7-7.
Everhart then singled, so the Redlegs elected to put Hank
Beasore on to load the bases. Rick Anderson then drove a
ball just deep enough into center field for the game winning
sacrifice fly.
Boxscore
| J Millard | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| K Arend | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B Howard | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| J McCurdy | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| M Mattice | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| M Morrison | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| J Long | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| J Bradley | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2B: Robinson; Mattice; Morrison