On a picture perfect day for baseball, the Redlegs opened up the 2015 season against the Mad River Machine on Sunday at Kettering Field. These two teams had matched up for some pretty exciting games since the Machine were founded last season, including a 26-17 slugfest in the semi-final of last year’s Memorial Day Tournament. This would mark the 4th time these clubs have faced each other, the Redlegs owning the series 2 games to 1.

History would not suggest that the Redlegs would extend that lead. Since their expansion season in 2010 they had won only one opening day game, which came in 2011. That game marked the first opening day start for crafty veteran Kevin Campbell in which he took a no decision. He hasn’t missed an opening day start since, but he was still looking for that elusive opening day win that he, and the Redlegs, just couldn’t seem to grasp over the years.

So Campbell took the hill in the top of the 1st and went to work, and things started looking bleak right away. After a lead off double and a throwing error in the infield, the Machine were looking like they were going to take a big early lead. Paul Wilson then came to the plate with no outs and runners on the corners and delivered an RBI single to plate the first run for the Machine. The next batter laced a line drive that short stop Jacob Robinson was able to snag and then flip over to a waiting Brandon Howard at 2nd to double up the runner. Wilson then tried to steal 2nd but Campbell alertly stepped off the mound and delivered the ball to Howard who easily applied the tag to end the inning and get out of the jam.

The Redlegs tied things up in the bottom half of the 2nd after Campbell sat the Machine down in order in the top of the inning. Kyle Arend single handedly got the Redlegs on the board when he roped a 1 out line drive into left field, stole 2nd, and then moved to 3rd and scored on passed balls.

Matt Morrsion flashed some fancy glove work in the top of the 3rd. On a fly ball that looked like it would land in foul territory deep behind third base, Morrison was able to track it down and make a spectacular over the shoulder catch to record the 2nd out in the inning. Campbell then struck the next batter out to end the frame.

Campbell cruised through the rest of the game. He didn’t allow more than 4 men to come to the plate in any single inning in the game. He seemed to be in mid-season form as he piled up 9 K’s and allowed only 5 hits on the way to a complete game victory. The offense gave him the lead in the top of the 5th when they scored 3 times to take a 4-1 lead. In the 8th they put two more on the board and in the 9th they slammed the door by scoring 3 more times. Brad Clark had an RBI single in the frame and Justin McCurdy knocked in two more for his 2nd and 3rd RBI in the game. Campbell recorded 3 strikeouts in the bottom of the 9th to end the game with an exclamation point and secure the 9-1 victory.

The Redlegs will take on the Dayton Rangers in this year’s first installment of the “Backyard Battle” next Sunday at 4:00 at Kettering Field. The Rangers knocked off the defending champion Fairborn Athletics 13-10 on opening day.

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