After the Redlegs rolled into the post season as the overall #2 seed, their highest rank since 2017, their season ended abruptly at the hands of the Machine on Saturday.  The Machine, who hadn’t beat the Redlegs since July of 2019, edged out two close contests by winning 7-5 in game 1 and 3-2 in game 2.   

Jacob Robinson got Camden on the board first in the bottom of the 3rd, driving in Cody Saraco-Polner who was hit by a pitch and stole 2nd before scoring.   

Aaron Carmack started for Camden and was cruising along until feeling some discomfort in his throwing arm in the top of the 4th.  Carmack had 5 strikeouts in his 3 1/3 innings pitched and allowed one inherited run to score.  He allowed a leadoff single in the 2nd frame but erased the runner with a quick pick off move to 2nd base.   

The Machine then pounced in the bottom of the 5th, scoring 3 times to take a 4-1 lead.  The scoring was highlighted by a 2-run double by Chris Hoffmann.  Camden got out of the jam on a beautiful double play on a comebacker to pitcher Jesse Jones who delivered to Malott and 2nd, who relayed to 1st to get the runner by a step.  They added another run in the bottom of the 6th when Eric Reardon doubled to start the inning and scored on a double by Baylee Vonderheide.  The Redlegs were then able to get out of the inning when the next hitter grounded a ball into the hole between short and 3rd, but Brad Malott was able to snag it and deliver a strike to 3rd base where Mike Hartman applied the tag on the advancing Vonderheide.  Hartman doubled and tripled in the game at the dish.   

Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the 7th, the Redlegs rallied to send the game into extra innings.  Tyler Eaton, Evan Koogler, and Eric Jameson each singled to load the bases with nobody out.  Cody Saraco-Polner then delivered a single to cut the lead to 5-2.  Jacob Robinson then grounded into a fielder’s choice out at 2nd base which drove a run home, but the Machine tried to turn the double play and an errant throw to 1st base allowed for another run to score.  Now trailing 5-4 with a runner on 1st, Brad Malott singled to put the winning run on 1st base.  Kyle Arend then delivered a clutch double into the gap in left-center field.  Robinson scored to tie the game, but the Machine were able to make a perfect relay to the plate to tag a diving Malott before he touched the plate, and they were able to make a 2nd great play to get Arend out at 3rd for an inning ending double play to send the game to extra innings. 

Jesse Jones, who came on in relief of Carmack, continued to keep the Machine off the board.  He pitched a scoreless 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.  Eric Jameson was busy in the 8th, recording all 3 put outs on 3 line drives he was able to track down amid perfect positioning.  In the 9th Jacob Robinson was able to rob Chris Hoffmann of his 3rd double of the game by catching a ball hit deep into right center just before crashing into the fence.   

The 10th inning started with a machine hitter getting hit by a pitch, and a Redleg error on a sacrifice bunt that allowed a 2nd runner on base.  Zachary Seagraves then hit a single to center field that looked like it may score the go ahead run, but Jacob Robinson collected and delivered a strike to Jones, who cut it and delivered a perfect ball to home for Saraco-Polner to apply the tag for the 1st out of the inning.  The next batter hit a fly ball that resulted in an error in the outfield and allowed a run to score, but Camden was able to get an out on the play on a force out at 2nd.  Evan Kelsey then singled in a run to give the machine some cushion and a 7-5 lead.   

The bottom of the 10th went quietly for Camden as Kyle Arend singled, but two groundouts and a strikeout ended the game without a threat.   

Game two started off good for the Redlegs as Jacob Robinson drew a leadoff walk and would later score on a single by Mike Hartman.  They scored again in the 2nd when Jesse Jones singled to start the frame and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Cody Saraco-Polner.   

Tyler Eaton started for the Redlegs and tossed scoreless frames in the 1st and 2nd, aided by a 6-4-3 double play from Malott to Jones to Robinson in the 2nd.  The Machine were able to push two runs across in the 3rd though to tie the game at 2.   

The Redleg offense seemed to be a bit snake bitten as they continued to hit right into the teeth of the Machine defense, and they proved to be up to the task as they continued to make play after play keeping Camden off the scoreboard.  The Redlegs struck out only 1 time in the nightcap but left a total of 7 men on base.   

The final blow was struck in the top of the 7th when Jake Banks led off with a single and would later score the go-ahead run when Zachary Seagraves doubled him in.   

All in all, Eaton’s outing was a positive one, allowing 8 hits on 3 strikeouts in 7 innings of work, but he would take the tough luck loss as the offense just couldn’t generate enough support.  Eaton went 2-3 at the plate, Jesse Jones went a perfect 3 for 3 with a run and a stolen base, and Jacob Robinson doubled, walked, and scored a run to highlight the Redleg offense.