Micomonaco Homers in Debut as Redlegs Split With Royals
The Redlegs split a double header with the Kettering Royals this weekend, winning game one 14-6 and falling 10-9 in the nightcap.
The Redlegs came out hot in game one, scoring seven times in the first two innings. With two outs in the top of the first, Joey Watson doubled, followed up by RBI singles from Mike Hartman and Kyle Arend. After the Royals answered with a run of their own in the bottom half, the Redlegs got right back to work in the top of the second. Nick Davis started the inning with a single, followed by a walk to James Robinson and a single by Matt Redman to load the bases. Saige Micomonaco then knocked in two runs in his first career MVABL at bat. Joey Watson later brought in another run with a sacrifice fly.
The Redlegs then tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning. Matt Redman tripled to lead off the inning before Micomonaco blasted a 2-run home run, bringing his RBI total to four in his impressive debut.
As the Redlegs lead increased the lead to 12-1, Luke Campbell continued to keep the Boys in Blue off the scoreboard. After giving up a run in the first, he faced only 11 batters in the next three frames allowing only four baserunners in the process. But the Royals finally got to Campbell in the fifth. After a base hit and a few walks which resulted in a bases loaded and two out situation, the Redlegs turned to rookie Ethan Limon to try and work out of the jam. He had a tall order in his first appearance, squaring off against Royals third baseman Chris Flaherty in the high-pressure situation. Flaherty showed why he was recently inducted into the MVABL hall of fame as he deposited a bases clearing double into the outfield to bring the Royals closer with a score of 12-5.
Limon then settled in and tossed the final two innings of the game, giving up only one earned and picking up a strikeout along the way to record his first career victory.
The Redlegs picked up two more runs in the 7th to add some cushion to the lead, Nick Davis drove in a run while the other was scored on a passed ball.
The Redlegs improved to 4-1 in the win.
The Royals would get their revenge in game two as they would counter a late Redlegs rally with one of their own to take an exciting 10-9 win in 6 innings just before the area was pummeled by heavy rains and hail.
Just as they did in game one, the Redlegs jumped out to an early lead, scoring twice in the opening frame. Matt Morrison started the inning with a single and stole second base. Adam Parks then singled and quickly stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Both runners would eventually come around to score, taking advantage of a couple of passed balls.
The Royals knotted things back up in the top of the second as they scored two runs of their own and took the lead in the third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Callison.
The Redlegs erased the lead in the fourth when Adam Parks singled and eventually scored from second on a Royals throwing error.
A two-run double by Evan Koogler in the top of the fifth gave the Royals a 5-3 edge before the Redlegs came storming back in the bottom of the frame. Matt Redman started things off with a leadoff walk and Nick Davis doubled him in for the innings first run. Ryan Gross then sliced a single into right field to score Davis. Brandon Howard then reached on an error before Jared Bradley delivered an RBI base hit. Matt Morrison then added a run with a sacrifice fly. Adam Parks then doubled, putting runners on second and third briefly before both were brought home on a two-run single from Mike Hartman.
Now leading 9-5 after five innings and storms on the way, it looked like the Redlegs had this one in the bag. The Boys in Blue had other ideas though as they ripped off a five run sixth inning that would eventually lead to their first win of the season.
The Redlegs got the tying run on base in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single by Nick Davis, but Royals starter Tyler Eaton was able to buckle down and record a strikeout to end the inning.
Mother Nature took it from there and prevented any last inning heroics the Redlegs might have had, as a severe storm rolled through the area and ended the game.