A hot June day on Sunday at Madison High School set the
stage for the 25th and 26th editions of the Backyard
Battle between the Camden Redlegs and Dayton Rangers.
The Rangers have had the upper hand in this series, going
15-9 over the first 24 contests. After the dust settled,
the Redlegs were able to pull out two victories to
improve their 2017 season record to 8-3 and inch closer
to evening up the Backyard Battle series.
The first inning looked as though it would be uneventful,
as Rangers starter Joe Becker struck out the first two
batters of the game. Kyle Arend then singled to keep the
inning alive, which set up a 2-run bomb off the bat of
Mike Hartman.
The Rangers cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the
2nd when Joe Becker doubled and eventually came around to
score on a sacrifice fly by Ben Schooler.
The Redlegs then pushed the lead to 4-1 in the top of the
3rd inning. Jacob Robinson started the inning with a
single and moved to 2nd on a wild pickoff attempt and 3rd
on a passed ball. Arend then walked before Hartman
scored Robinson on a grounder to 2nd base. James
Robinson then scored Arend with a sacrifice fly.
That is when disaster struck for the Redlegs as the
Rangers proceeded to pile on 7 runs and take an 8-4 lead
in the bottom of the 3rd. Jonmarc Lippincott started the
rally for the Rangers with a single followed by hits from
Brandon Marshall, Joe Becker, and Robert Neseteroff. Ben
Schooler then drilled a bases clearing double into the
left center gap with prompted the Redlegs to make an
early call to the bullpen. Aaron Carmack came on to try
to stop the bleeding and got the job done. Nick Gilmore
was able to knock Schooler in with a sacrifice fly to
plate the innings 7th run. Lippincott then had his 2nd
chance to start a rally and he laced a line drive into
right center field, but Jacob Robinson was able to take
the hit away with a diving snag to end the inning.
Now Trailing 8-4 the Redlegs needed a spark and they got
one when rookie backstop Ryan Gross slashed a double to
start the top of the 4th. Jared Bradley then singled
before Jacob Robinson was plunked to load the bases.
The next 4 batters then recorded RBIs. Matt Mattice
brought 2 home with a single, Kyle Arend singled in
another, and Mike Hartman brought one across with another
ground ball out to the right side. James Robinson then
knocked in the go-ahead run to give the Redlegs new life
and a 9-8 lead. The lead was short lived however as the
Rangers were able to scratch out unearned runs in each of
the 4th and 5th innings.
Once again trailing, now 10-9, the Redlegs again re-
claimed the lead in the top of the 6th. Jacob Robinson
singled to lead off the inning before Matt Mattice
reached on an error. Arend then knocked both runners in
to put the Redlegs again 11-10.
The Rangers were not about to go down without a fight as
they quickly loaded the bases with nobody out in the
bottom half of the 6th. Matt Morrison then made a run
saving play by snagging up a grounder and making a nice
throw to cut down the runner heading for home. Carmack
then induced an infield fly for the 2nd out before
recording a huge strike out to get out of the jam.
The Redlegs got an insurance run in the top of the 7th
when Isaac Marquez started the inning with his first
career MVABL hit. Matt Redman entered as a pinch runner
for Marquez and moved up to 2nd on a single by Jared
Bradley. Jacob Robinson then shot a grounder through the
right side of the infield and Redman motored around to
score, making the score 12-10.
The Rangers got a leadoff double from Nick Gilmore to
start the bottom of the 7th but Carmack buckled down and
retired the next 3 batters in order to cement the win.
Boxscore
| J Robinson | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| M Mattice | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| K Arend | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| M Hartman | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| M Morrison | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| J Gross | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| I Marquez | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Bradley | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| M Redman | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2B: Gross
HR: Hartman
| M Redman | 2.33 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| A Carmack (W) | 4.67 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 |