The Redlegs improved to 5-7 and are now 4-1 over the last 5
games as they won a tightly contested battle against the
Wright Knights on Tuesday night at Kettering Field in
Dayton. Both teams were locked in offensively and pounded
out a combined 29 hits, resulting in the 7-inning affair to
last over 3 hours. When the dust settled, the Redlegs
prevailed by a final score of 14-12.
After the Redlegs left the bases loaded in the top of the
1st, the Knights responded by putting two runs on the board
in the bottom half. Camden then tied things up in the top
of the 2nd thanks to an RBI single by Cody Saraco-Polner and
an RBI walk by Jacob Robinson, but the Knights were again
able to force the Redlegs to leave the bases loaded.
The Knights then wasted no time reclaiming the lead, scoring
3 more times in the bottom of the 2nd making the score 5-2.
Camden, after stranding 6 baserunners in the 1st and 2nd,
sent 13 hitters to the plate in the top of the 3rd resulting
in 8 runs giving them a commanding 10-5 lead. Mike Hartman
started the inning with a single before Joey Watson reached
on an error. Evan Koogler than grounded into a fielder’s
choice, leaving runners on the corners with one out. Tyler
Eaton then drove home a run with a ground ball to the right
side, but the Knights were able to get the out at 1st
leaving only a runner at 2nd with two outs. Chris Flaherty
then doubled home a run, followed by a walk to Eric Jameson.
Saraco-Polner then reached on an error before Jacob Robinson
doubled home two runs. Jesse Jones then reached on an error
setting up an RBI single by Kyle Arend. Mike Hartman then
continued his blistering hot streak by picking up his 2nd
hit of the inning, this time an RBI single to finish up the
scoring. Hartman is now hitting .550 (11-20) with 12 RBI
over his last 5 games.
The Knights then answered by scoring 3 more in the bottom of
the 3rd, bringing things back to a close game at 10-8.
Tyler Eaton entered on the mound and was able to get out of
the jam, and then proceeded to hold the Knights at bay over
the next 3 innings as he allowed no runs and added 5
strikeouts during that span.
Camden went quietly in the 4th but scored four more times in
the 5th. Jacob Robinson doubled to start the inning,
followed by a walk to Jesse Jones, and then a two-run double
by Kyle Arend. Mike Hartman then walked before Joey Watson
pitched in with an RBI single.
Leading 14-8 with Eaton cruising, the Knights had one more
shot in the bottom of the 7th and they did not go out
quietly. Four singles and a double yielded four more runs
for the Knights, but Eaton was able to close the door with a
strikeout, flyout, and pop out to end the game.
Camden (5-7) will next take on the Dayton Rangers (7-3) in
the 49th and 50th editions of the “Backyard Battle” at
Madison High School on Sunday.
Boxscore
| J Robinson | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| J Jones | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| K Arend | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| M Hartman | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| J Watson | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| E Koogler | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T Eaton | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| C Flaherty | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| E Jameson | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| C Saraco-Polner | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J Robinson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2B: Robinson 2; Arend; Flaherty
| E Koogler | 2.67 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| T Eaton (W) | 4.33 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1 |