After the Redlegs rolled into the post season as the
overall #2 seed, their highest rank since 2017, their
season ended abruptly at the hands of the Machine on
Saturday. The Machine, who hadn’t beat the Redlegs since
July of 2019, edged out two close contests by winning 7-5
in game 1 and 3-2 in game 2.
Jacob Robinson got Camden on the board first in the
bottom of the 3rd, driving in Cody Saraco-Polner who was
hit by a pitch and stole 2nd before scoring.
Aaron Carmack started for Camden and was cruising along
until feeling some discomfort in his throwing arm in the
top of the 4th. Carmack had 5 strikeouts in his 3 1/3
innings pitched and allowed one inherited run to score.
He allowed a leadoff single in the 2nd frame but erased
the runner with a quick pick off move to 2nd base.
The Machine then pounced in the bottom of the 5th,
scoring 3 times to take a 4-1 lead. The scoring was
highlighted by a 2-run double by Chris Hoffmann. Camden
got out of the jam on a beautiful double play on a
comebacker to pitcher Jesse Jones who delivered to Malott
and 2nd, who relayed to 1st to get the runner by a step.
They added another run in the bottom of the 6th when Eric
Reardon doubled to start the inning and scored on a
double by Baylee Vonderheide. The Redlegs were then able
to get out of the inning when the next hitter grounded a
ball into the hole between short and 3rd, but Brad Malott
was able to snag it and deliver a strike to 3rd base
where Mike Hartman applied the tag on the advancing
Vonderheide. Hartman doubled and tripled in the game at
the dish.
Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the 7th, the Redlegs
rallied to send the game into extra innings. Tyler
Eaton, Evan Koogler, and Eric Jameson each singled to
load the bases with nobody out. Cody Saraco-Polner then
delivered a single to cut the lead to 5-2. Jacob
Robinson then grounded into a fielder’s choice out at 2nd
base which drove a run home, but the Machine tried to
turn the double play and an errant throw to 1st base
allowed for another run to score. Now trailing 5-4 with
a runner on 1st, Brad Malott singled to put the winning
run on 1st base. Kyle Arend then delivered a clutch
double into the gap in left-center field. Robinson
scored to tie the game, but the Machine were able to make
a perfect relay to the plate to tag a diving Malott
before he touched the plate, and they were able to make a
2nd great play to get Arend out at 3rd for an inning
ending double play to send the game to extra innings.
Jesse Jones, who came on in relief of Carmack, continued
to keep the Machine off the board. He pitched a
scoreless 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. Eric Jameson was
busy in the 8th, recording all 3 put outs on 3 line
drives he was able to track down amid perfect
positioning. In the 9th Jacob Robinson was able to rob
Chris Hoffmann of his 3rd double of the game by catching
a ball hit deep into right center just before crashing
into the fence.
The 10th inning started with a machine hitter getting hit
by a pitch, and a Redleg error on a sacrifice bunt that
allowed a 2nd runner on base. Zachary Seagraves then hit
a single to center field that looked like it may score
the go ahead run, but Jacob Robinson collected and
delivered a strike to Jones, who cut it and delivered a
perfect ball to home for Saraco-Polner to apply the tag
for the 1st out of the inning. The next batter hit a fly
ball that resulted in an error in the outfield and
allowed a run to score, but Camden was able to get an out
on the play on a force out at 2nd. Evan Kelsey then
singled in a run to give the machine some cushion and a
7-5 lead.
The bottom of the 10th went quietly for Camden as Kyle
Arend singled, but two groundouts and a strikeout ended
the game without a threat.
Boxscore
J Robinson | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
B Malott | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
K Arend | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
B Howard | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
M Hartman | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
J Jones | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
T Eaton | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
J Robinson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
E Jameson | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
C Saraco-Polner | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
E Koogler | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2B: Arend; Hartman
3B: Hartman