Rangers play longball, but lose to Shockers 17-16

The Dayton Rangers launched 9 home runs on the afternoon and outhit the Shockers 20-15, but lost the only stat that matters…the score 17-16.

Rangers starting pitcher Ben Schooler helped his own cause with a solo HR in the second inning. The Rangers increased their lead to 5-0 as Zach Carroll hit his first HR of his career to start the third. After a walk to Jonmarc Lippincott, Josh Cawein homered. And two batters later, Shawn Schmitt hit his third home run of the season. The Shockers got on the board in the bottom of third as Chad Paden would score on a wild pitch, and Chris Flaherty hit an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-2. The longball continued for the Rangers in the fourth as Carroll would hit a two-run HR to make it 7-2. Ben Schooler started for the Rangers and was sharp for 3 innings, striking out 6 batters, but the wheels fell off in the fourth as the Shockers scored 9 times to take an 11-7 lead.

The Rangers continued to chip away at the deficit as Robert Riley led off with a HR. James Robinson would also single in a run in the inning to cut into the lead at 11-9. Shockers third baseman Chris Flaherty launched a 3-run HR in the 6^th to increase the Shockers lead to 14-9. Jeff Cherry relieved Ben Schlater on the mound for the Shockers and retired the first 6 batters he faced, until he succumbed to the longball as well, as Jelani Arnold hit a 2-run HR to make the score 14-11. Shockers catcher, and former Ranger, Jack Millard homered to start off the 7^th, and the Shockers added an unearned run to increase the lead now to 16-11. The Rangers continued their comeback in the 8^th as Josh Cawein launched his 2^nd home run of the day, and 4^th of the weekend to make it 16-13. Jelani Arnold added an RBI single to cut the deficit to two. Zach Carroll got out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth to give the team a chance to tie it in the ninth. Ben Schooler led off with second HR of the day. Cawein would add a two-out RBI double to tie the game at 16-16. But the Shockers’ bats ultimately won out, as they put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with one out. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Taylor Hause delivered a shot that ricocheted off the yellow tubing in center field for the walk-off RBI single.

The Rangers lost a Miami Divisional game for the first time in 2 seasons.

Offensive highlights: Josh Cawein 3-for-5, 2 runs, 5RBI, 2 HRs, double; Zach Carroll 4-for-6, 3 runs, 3RBI, 2 HRs; Jelani Arnold 3-for-5, 2 runs, 3RBI, HR; Ben Schooler 3-for-4, 2 runs, 2RBI, 2HRs; Shawn Schmitt 3-for-4, 2 runs, HR, double.

Historical Notes: James Robinson is 1 run shy of 100 in the league, and 6 RBIs shy of 100 in the league. Aaron Armstrong needs 1 more run scored to reach 100 in the league. Shawn Schmitt needs 6 hits to reach 200 career hits as a Ranger. Jelani Arnold needs 9 more RBIs to reach 100 career RBIs.