Rangers Sweep Royals, Advance in Playoffs

The Dayton Rangers knocked off the Kettering Royals in a pair of second round playoff victories on Sunday, September 11 at Kettering Fields.

For the fourth straight time between these two ballclubs, they were able to complete the games in 2 hours or less. The Rangers now hold a 23-20 advantage over the Boys in Blue since 2000.

In game one, Royals’ center fielder Chris Jergens interrupted a flag football game by greeting Rangers pitcher Shawn Schmitt with a three-run home run to right field for a quick 3-0 Royals lead. But despite allowing the first three batters to reach base and score, Schmitt settled down and only allowed 6 more baserunners throughout the remainder of the contest. Rangers right fielder Josh Cawein led off the top of the second with a solo home run, his 8^th longball of the season. With two outs in the fourth, Jonmarc Lippincott singled and then scored on Cawein’s double to move within one run of the Royals at 3-2. The Rangers sent 9 batters to the plate in the fifth inning to break the game open. Jelani Arnold led off with a double and scored on Zach Carroll’s single. Carroll stole second and then scored on James Robinson’s single to give the Rangers the lead. After Aaron Armstrong reached on a fielder’s choice and a subsequent hit by Steve Marshall, Joe Staten doubled to plate Armstrong. Lippincott singled home Marshall, and Cawein singled home Staten to give the Rangers a 7-3 cushion. Lippincott added an RBI single in the seventh for a final tally of 8-3.

In game two, the Royals once again took the early lead as Jergens hit a sac fly and Jason Holmberg doubled in a run for a 2-0 Royals’ advantage. The Rangers put up a four-spot in the 3^rd to take a 4-2 lead. Armstrong led off with a walk and Joe Staten singled with one out. Lippincott then singled home Armstrong and Cawein singled in Staten. With two outs, Jelani Arnold doubled home Lippincott and Cawein, for his 100^th and 101^st career RBIs. But the Royals rebounded in the fifth on an RBI single from Jergens and another RBI double from Holmberg to tie the game at 4-4. In the top of the sixth, Royals’ pinch-hitter Neil Stafford roped a two-run single to left to give the Royals new life. Looking at a 6-4 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, the Rangers looked to the bottom of the order to get something started. Zach Carroll roped a clean single to left, followed by singles by James Robinson and Armstrong. Joe Becker reached on an infield error to score Carroll. Joe Staten then hit an opposite field single to score the tying run. And then Lippincott laced a single to left for the game-winning walk-off hit.

Shawn Schmitt went the distance in game one, allowing 6 hits and striking out 5 for his 10^th win of the season, a career-high for Schmitt. Joe Becker tossed a complete game as well in game two.

Offensive highlights: Joe Staten 3-for-7, 2 runs, 2RBI, double; Jonmarc Lippincott 5-for-7, 2 runs, 4RBI; Josh Cawein 5-for-7, 2 runs, 4RBI, double, HR; Jelani Arnold 4-for-6, run, 2RBI, 2 doubles; Aaron Armstrong 2-for-5, 3 runs, RBI

Historical Notes: Uncanny as it sounds, Lippincott has had a hand in the last three walk-off victories. He also walked with the bases-loaded in the bottom of the 8^th against the Athletics on 5/15/2011. Prior to that, it was his sac fly in the bottom of the seventh to beat the Shockers on August 22, 2010.