8-run Inning Does in Rangers

  The Dayton Rangers 2-0 start is blemished with a 13-7 loss to the Kettering Outlaws at Miamisburg High School on Sunday.

With his past year’s success against the Outlaws, the Rangers gave the starting nod to right-hander Reis Pearson. Pearson had a tough start getting into his groove on the mound as he allowed 11 baserunners to reach in the first three-plus innings. The Rangers jumped on the board first in the top of the second inning when Jonmarc Lippincott singled to lead off the frame and Justin McCurdy followed up with a single as well. James Robinson smoked a two-run double to center to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. The Outlaws answered with a two-spot of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Rookie Justin Chadwell doubled to deep left to drive in Jeremy Campbell with the first run, and fellow newcomer Matt Rudy singled in Chadwell to tie the game at 2-2.

The Outlaws went ahead in the third as Mark Lucas hit a 3-run home run to left field for a 5-2 Outlaws advantage. And the Outlaws poured it on in the fourth, in similar fashion to their ‘big inning’ against the Royals last week, as they scored 8 times in the inning, highlighted by a three-run homer off the bat of Kevin Ashworth and a bases-clearing triple by Jarrod Arden.

Jacob Robinson came in to relieve Pearson with one out in the middle of the fourth inning and could not stop the bleeding. As it became apparent that Jake prefers not to pitch from the stretch, he shut down the Outlaws offense over the final four innings of work, recording 7 Ks and only two more hits.

The Rangers clawed their way back in the sixth. Jonmarc singled with two outs in the inning and came around to score on a double by McCurdy. The Rangers piled on four more runs in the last inning. Clint Wolf doubled in Jelani Arnold. And after Lippincott’s third single of the day, McCurdy doubled in two more runs. Shane Fallen singled in the final run of the game.

The Outlaws’s Mark Lucas finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, a homer and a double. Rick Anderson and Matt Rudy each had two hits.

Offensive performances of note: Justin McCurdy 4-4, 2 doubles, 2 runs, 3RBI; Jonmarc Lippincott 3-4, 3 runs; Clint Wolf 2-4 2 doubles; Jack 2-2 double.