Rangers Move into Round 2 with Royal Victory

  The Dayton Rangers did just enough to defeat the Royals for the 3rd time this season, winning 4-2 in a game that took a little under 2 hours to play.

      Shawn Schmitt started for the Rangers and continued to pitch effectively in August as he struck out 8 while going the distance. His counterpart Neil Lynch did his best to keep the Royals in the game as he kept the Rangers scoreless from the 2nd through the 7th innings.

      The Rangers took the lead in the bottom of the first when Jonmarc Lippincott lined a single up the middle to drive in Ethan Goetz who had doubled earlier. Jonmarc and Clint Wolf both came around to score on a botched pickoff play. Shawn's shutout hopes were dashed in the 7th when Ron Runyon hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Dave Rooker. Neil Lynch then followed with an RBI singled to cut the lead to 3-2. The Rangers got a much needed insurance run in the 8th as Scott Sundermeyer doubled to right center to start off the inning. Scott Pollak went in to pinch run and moved over to third on a Brian Robinson groundball. Ethan Goetz then singled down the first base line to drive home Pollak.

      Shawn Schmitt gave up 3 hits in the ninth, but induced a groundout and popout to second base before striking out the last batter with the bases juiced to preserve the win.

      Jonmarc Lippincott went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Ethan Goetz and Scott Sundermeyer each doubled. Ethan moved into 4th place on the Rangers all-time list for most stolen bases in a season with 13. WEB GEMS: Joe Staten did his best Willie Mays impersonation with an over-the-head catch in foul territory and Clint Wolf followed that up with his own Andruw Jones take with a diving snag in center off the bat of Lynch.