Late Inning Collapses vs. Thunder

Lack of pitching depth proves costly as the Rangers falter in the sixth inning of both ends of a doubleheader with the Thunder on Sunday, June 27.

In game one, Ben Schooler started on the mound and was sharp for 5 innings, allowing 1 hit and 2 walks and striking out 5. The Rangers, however, would score first in the fourth inning. Joe Staten reached second on a fielding error and throwing error. Clint Wolf would follow with an RBI double. After a single from Robert Riley, Ty Adams' sac fly plated Wolf for a 2-0 lead. The Rangers made it 5-0 after 5 innings. Wolf had an RBI single, and Riley followed suit with a 2-run double. Schooler's pitches began to stay up in the strike zone in the sixth, allowing the Thunder to score five times to tie the game. The Rangers, wearing thin on the pitching corps for the afternoon, was forced to use three pitchers in the seventh inning. Five walks, a HBP, and four hits later, the Thunder batted around and scored 7 times to take a 12-5 lead. Joe Staten would hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, but that's all that the Rangers could muster in game one.

Game two starter Jason Sarver fell victim to some well-placed hits, but the offense kept him on the winning edge through the first five innings. Clint Wolf's RBI single scored Staten with the first run, and Ty Adams' grounder scored Wolf for a 2-0 lead. The Thunder would score one in the bottom of the first on a single by Evan Koogler. Each team would put up a five-spot in the second inning. Sarver's groundout scored James Robinson. Aaron Armstrong singled in Jelani Arnold. Robert Riley would then launch a 3-run home run to make it 7-1 Rangers. Holding to a 7-6 lead in the third, the Rangers got an RBI double from Jelani and a two-run single from Sarver to make the score 10-6. An RBI single from Matt Walters would bring the Thunder within three at 10-7. The Rangers got the run back in the fourth on an RBI single from Jonmarc Lippincott, and added another run in the top of the sixth as Jonmarc reached on a fielding error, scoring Staten.

However, the wheels fell off again in the bottom of the sixth as the Thunder would put together 7 hits and a walk to tie the game at 12-12. Jelani Arnold started off the top of the seventh with his third double of the game and moved to the third on a groundout, but Thunder pitcher John Ramsey got Armstrong and Tim Sullivan to pop out to end the scoring threat. Chad Hobbs picked up his fourth hit of the game to start off the Thunder 7th frame, but Jonmarc turned a double play to kill their inning before Sarver got John Connell to pop out to end the game. Due to the time limit rule, the game was forced to end after 7 innings. It will continue on at a later date, yet to be determined.    

Offensive highlights: Jelani Arnold 4-for-7, 3 doubles, 3 runs, RBI; Clint Wolf 4-for-7, 2 doubles, 4 runs, 3RBI, 3 SB; Robert Riley 3-for-6, HR, double, 5RBI; Jason Sarver 3-for-6 3RBI, sac, SB; Joe Staten 1-for-7, HR, 3 runs, 2RBI.

Historical Notes: Clint increased his hitting streak to 19 games (2nd best in team history). Jonmarc is 4 RBI shy of 300 RBIs in the league. Jelani is 1 run shy of 100 runs scored in the league. Clint's 3 stolen bases pushed his career swipes total over 100 (currently at 102). Shawn Schmitt is now 1 win away from tying Rob Hoover’s club mark of 33 career wins.