Rangers 3-0 Start is Franchise Best

  First off, thank you to all the players who helped get the field in playable condition today!

The Rangers continued their hot hitting by knocking off the South Dayton Slammers by a score of 16-8 on Sunday, May 3 at Rotary Park. The first place Rangers are now 3-0 for the first time in the 13-year history of the team.

Another first inning outpouring of offense gave the Rangers an early lead. Steve Marshall drew a walk with one-out, stole second and scored on a hit by Clint Wolf. After Wolf stole second, Jonmarc Lippincott singled him home for a 2-0 lead. Jacob Robinson ran for Lippincott and stole second and scored on a Jake Kingsolver double to center. Kingsolver later scored on a passed ball for a 4-0 score after half an inning. The Rangers have now scored 15 runs in the first inning alone in their first three games.

The Slammers got a run in the bottom of the first after PJ Dixon singled and later scored on a passed ball. The Rangers got the four-run lead back in the top of the second when rookie Robert Riley walked and scored on a sac fly by Jacob Robinson. The score stood at 6-1 in the top of the third when Jake Kingsolver scored on a triple by Brad Clark. The Slammers cut into the lead with a three-run third keyed by a three-run HR belted to left field off the bat of Josh Jaynes.

The Rangers batted around in the fourth inning, scoring 8 times to take a 14-4 lead. After a couple of walks, Clark singled in a run; Brandon Howard tripled in 2 runs; James Robinson followed with an RBI single; Riley singled in two more; Shane Fallen had an RBI single and finally Marshall grounded into a fielder’s choice that plated the final run of the frame. The final pair of runs for the Rangers came in the top of the fifth inning as Howard and James Robinson each had RBI singles.

The Slammers final tallies came in the bottom half of the fifth as Kevin Ashworth belted a solo shot to left center to start the inning. Justin Dunlap, Josh Jaynes, and David Shaw added RBI singles.

Shawn Schmitt started for the Rangers and pitched four innings, giving up 7 hits and walking six, and striking out three. Brandon Howard relieved Schmitt in the fifth pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Brad Clark finished off the game with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of work.

Offensive highlights: Clint 1-for-4, 3 runs, SB; Jonmarc Lippincott 2-for-4 RBI; Jake Kingsolver 1-for-2, 3 runs, double, 3BB.; Brad Clark 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2RBI; Brandon Howard 2-for-3, 2 runs, 3RBI, triple; James Robinson 2-for-4 2RBI; Robert Riley 1-for-2, 2 runs, 2RBI, BB.

Historical notes: Robert became the first Rangers player born in the '90s to register a hit. Shawn is 31 strikeouts shy of the MVABL’s all-time strikeout mark. With 6 walks and 5 SB in two games, Steve Marshall is on course for a 69-walk season and a 58-stolen base season.