Redlegs Sweep Scouts, Move into 5th Place
The Redlegs continued their recent hot streak as they swept both ends of a double header against the Xenia Scouts on Sunday. The two wins enabled Camden to jump Xenia in the MVABL standings, moving from 6th to 5th. Since starting 0-5, the Redlegs have gone 8-3 in their last 11 games.
Game 1 didn’t get off to a great start, as the Scouts used a Redleg fielding miscue to push a couple of runs across and take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning.
Camden came roaring back in the top of the 4th, scoring 4 times to take a 4-2 lead. Jacob Robinson and Jesse Jones started things off with a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. Jones then stole second base putting both runners in scoring position. Joey Watson then hit a chopper to 3rd base and Robinson broke for home and dove in with a headfirst slide to score the first run on a bang-bang play. Brad Malott then singled in a run. Later, Cody Saraco-Polner was hit by a pitch to reload the bases with two outs. Matt Mattice then came up with a clutch two-out single to score a pair of runs and give the Redlegs the two-run advantage.
The Scouts pushed another unearned run across in the bottom of the 4th to tighten things back up at 4-3.
Jacob Robinson was able to add to Camden’s lead when he started the top of the 5th with a single and eventually scored on a Scouts error.
Jesse Jones was dominant on the mound for Camden, allowing just the one earned run through the first four innings. Jones made a great defensive play in the 4th by snagging a comebacker and firing to Malott at 2nd to start an inning ending twin killing. He got a little more help from his defense in the 5th when Matt Mattice took a hit away from the first batter of the inning with a picturesque diving catch in left field for the first out. The very next hitter blooped a pop fly into shallow center field in what should have been no man’s land. Somehow, Brad Malott was able to track it down from short stop and make an impressive over the shoulder catch while avoiding a collision in center field. Jones then struck the next batter out to end the inning.
The Redlegs got their 6th and final run in the 6th inning when Evan Koogler began the inning with a single, was moved to 2nd on a sacrifice but by Cody Saraco-Polner, and was driven in on Matt Mattice’s 3rd RBI of the game.
Jones continued to baffle the Scouts offense, and Joey Watson and Brad Malott teamed up for a 4-6-3 double play to make for a quick 6th inning. Jones then finished things off with an uneventful 7th inning to secure his 3rd victory of the season. All in all, Jesse turned in a complete game with 4 hits allowed, 1 earned run allowed, while striking out 6 Xenia hitters.
The Redlegs stayed hot early on in game two, scoring all seven of their runs in the first two innings.
After the Scouts put a run on the board in the top of the 1st, Camden came back with three runs in the bottom half. Jacob Robinson was plunked by a pitch to start the inning and promptly swiped second base. Jesse Jones then knocked Robinson in, and also stole second base. Mike Hartman then delivered an RBI base hit and later Evan Koogler finished off the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
The Scouts chipped away in the top of the 2nd by scoring again, cutting the Redleg lead to 3-2.
But Camden answered with four more runs in the bottom of the 2nd. James Robinson worked a one-out walk, followed by consecutive base hits from Jacob Robinson and Jesse Jones to load the bases. Kyle Arend then worked a walk to bring home a run. Robinson and Jones then both scored via passed balls and Joey Watson scored Arend with a sacrifice fly.
The Scouts again answered in the top of the 3rd, scoring twice more to cut the lead to 7-4. Camden got out of the 3rd without further damage when Jacob Robinson fired home attempting to cut down the second run but was just too late. Joey Watson then fired on to 2nd where Malott applied the tag on the runner attempting to take another base, which ended the rally. The Scouts were able to get the leadoff runner aboard in the 4th, but Redleg starter Evan Koogler quickly erased him with a pick off at first base. The next two hitters each singled before Koogler induced a flyout and pop out to end the threat.
Brad Malott again pitched in with the leather in the 5th, as he did his best Derek Jeter impression by back handing a hard grounder deep in the hole between short stop and 3rd base and delivering a fade away throw to first for the out.
The Redleg offense couldn’t come up with any big hits down the stretch, as they stranded 7 baserunners over the final four frames. This set up a tense top of the 7th inning. The Scouts started the inning with a walk and a steal, and the next batter singled to bring the score to 7-5. The Scouts baserunner then moved to 2nd on passed ball. The next batter singled into center field, Jacob Robinson fielded cleanly and delivered a strike to the plate where Joey Watson made a fantastic tag to prevent the runner from scoring. But the Scouts next two batters singled, and one run scored with brought the score to 7-6. Camden then turned to Jesse Jones with the tying run on 1st and 1 out. Jones induced an infield pop up for the 2nd out and then slammed the door with a strikeout to nail down the save.