Rangers, 12-8, as Playoffs Approach

      The Dayton Rangers reeled off their fifth win in the last six games to finish the regular season in third place at 12-8. The Rangers swept the season series from the Kettering Outlaws, winning 14-5 at Athletes in Action’s field on Sunday.

      Reis Pearson got the call on the mound and improved his record to 4-3 on his rookie season. Reis pitched 8 innings and struck out four, while Clint Wolf added an inning of relief in the 6th inning.

       Jacob Robinson led off the game, reaching on an infield fielding error. Clint Wolf singled him in for the first run of the day. Wolf scored on a balk to make the score 2-0 after one inning. Three more runs came across in the second as Jelani Arnold, Steve Marshall, Aaron Armstrong, and Jacob Robinson singled in succession with two outs. The Rangers jumped their lead to 8-0 in the fourth. With the bases loaded, James Robinson scored on a wild pitch, and then Marshall singled in the other two baserunners. The Rangers made it 10-0 in the fifth on RBI singles from Wolf and Matt Hood.

       The Outlaws finally got to Pearson in the bottom of the fifth as catcher Rick Anderson laced a one-out single to left to score Jeremy Campbell and Doug Schommer. But the Rangers answered with another three-spot in the top of the sixth. Jacob Robinson singled for the third time on the day to drive in Brad Clark. Jared Bradley doubled to deep left center to drive in Armstrong and Robinson for a 13-2 lead. Matt Hood doubled in Jonmarc Lippincott in the 7th for a 12-run lead, forcing the Outlaws to score or risk being run-ruled.

       Rick Anderson’s sacrifice fly to left forced the game to continue. The Outlaws Danny Wayman retired the final 7 batters he faced to keep his team in the ballgame. The final two runs for the Outlaws came in the bottom of the eighth as Kevin Ashworth singled home two runs to make the final score 14-5.

       Offensive performances of note: Jacob Robinson 3-for-5 3runs, 2RBI; Jared Bradley 2-for-5 2RBI; Clint Wolf 2-for-5, 2runs, 2RBI; Matt Hood 2-for-4 2RBI; James Robinson 2-for-4 run; Jelani Arnold 2-for-3 2runs; Steve Marshall 2-for-4 run 3RBIs.