skip navigation

Koogler Narrowly Misses Shutout, Hartman Drives in 4 in 9-2 Win

By Jacob Robinson, 07/28/22, 9:00PM EDT

Share

BOX SCORE

EXPANDED STATS

The Redlegs won their 4th straight game on Thursday, July 28th when facing off against the Mad River Machine at Oak Grove Park.  Camden played solid defense and used 8 hits to back an excellent start by Evan Koogler in the 9-2 victory.

The Machine looked to do some damage early, starting the game with two straight singles.  Evan Koogler then struck out the next two batters before the next batter hit a grounder to the right side of the infield.  Kyle Arend was able to pounce on the grounder and flip to the covering Koogler to end the inning and the threat. 

Camden then got on the board in the bottom half.  Jacob Robinson started the frame with a walk and moved to third on a double by Jesse Jones.  Mike Hartman later drove both runners in with a base hit.  After Koogler turned in a 1-2-3 2nd, the Redlegs put more pressure on in their half of the 2nd.  Marshall Eippert was hit by a pitch, followed by singles from Matt Mattice and Eric Jameson to load the bases.  Cody Saraco-Polner then plated a run with a fielder’s choice, and an errant throw resulted in another run scoring.  Jacob Robinson then plated a run before Jesse Jones reached on an error.  This set up yet another two-run base hit by Mike Hartman

Now leading 8-0, Koogler turned in another 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd but this time got some defensive help from left fielder Marshall Eippert.  Machine lead-off man Evan Kelsey hit a deep drive to left field that had the distance to leave the confines of Oak Grove Park.  Eippert had other ideas, as he tracked it back and made a leaping catch just before crashing into the fence to rob the would-be round tripper. 

Neither team had much luck scoring over the next few frames until Camden pushed another run across in the bottom of the 6th.  Chris Flaherty singled with one out and later scored on a base hit by Marshall Eippert. 

The Machine attempted to mount a come back in the top of the 7th.  A single and two walks, with a pop-out in-between, loaded the bases for the Machine.  A double then plated both Machine runs, spoiling Koogler’s complete game shutout.  The next batter hit a deep fly ball into the left-center gap, but Matt Mattice was able to cover the vast distance and make a nice over the shoulder catch at the warning track to record the 2nd out.  Koogler then induced a game ending groundout to 2nd base to secure the win.