The Dayton Rangers split with the notoriously good Xenia Scouts in an action-packed doubleheader to move to a 2-1 start.

 

Xenia’s Alex Schulke started hot with a single right back up the middle on a Brandon Saylor off-speed pitch. Luckily, after another hit and a walk, the Rangers only gave up one run preventing a could have been big first for the Scouts. With the Rangers top having a poor half inning scoring no runs, the Scouts capitalized again in the second inning with a Schulke single to score Calvert who also got aboard via a single. The start of the second inning began poorly once again with Scouts pitcher Ragan making quick work of the first two batters. The Rangers caught a little life stringing together 2 hit by pitches and a walk leaving the bases loaded for second basemen Seebock. Seebock quickly went down 0-2 then went to the baseball textbook spoiling two good pitches then driving the next pitch opposite field to split outfielders allowing all three runners to score. Seebock was able to advance to third on an error on the throw which then allowed him to score on a passed ball. The Rangers took an early 4-2 going into the third inning.

 

Uneventful until the bottom of the fourth, a walk and a stolen base allowed Ridl to advance to second. Kujo just missed a high, deep fly ball out to right field giving way for Ridl to tag and make his way to second. Seebock walked on a wild pitch which Ridl was able to scamper home giving the Rangers a 5-2 lead. Riding starter Brandon Saylor into the top of the 5th, Macfarlane began the inning with a double, his second of the day. Two walks later the bases are loaded for Cusick who grounds into a fielder’s choice scoring one run. Doing his best to control the damage, Saylor struck out rookie Jake Dupler then, up to bat was the Scouts Zack Calvert. After Calvert watched a few pitches, Saylor airmailed a pitch well over Gilmores head. Knowing the aggressiveness of Mark Carpenter at 3rd, he quickly got up, retrieved the ball on a favorable bounce and tagged Mark out at home.

 

The heartbreak began in the top of the 6th inning. Opting to allow Saylor to stretch over 100 pitches on the day, bases quickly got loaded again on two walks and a hit. Sadly, it was not in the cards this time as Macfarlane laced a ball to centerfield just barely too much for Kyle to come down with which scored three giving the advantage to the Scouts. Coach Gilmore then opted to insert Kenny Owens who got the next two batters out.

 

The Rangers were not going down without a fight. In the bottom of the sixth, Noah grounded into a fielder’s choice, advanced to second on a passed ball then once again, Seebock drove a line drive into left field tying the game 6-6.

 

Finally, the heartbreak continued going into extra innings a Macfarlane single sparked a Scout rally ultimately resulted in a 13-6 lead before Hunter Kraynak got his first appearance of the year. Kraynak finally got the Rangers out of the inning by striking out Macfarlane with a ball which will be on his mantle for life. The Rangers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th giving the Rangers their first loss of the season.

 

Game 2 came quicker than everyone expected as Coach Gilmore showed his inexperience by not having the lineup ready as he was going to lead-off at the plate. The first inning started off better than the last with Cooper Nolte driving a single to left field to then by scored by a Markus Neff reach-by-error. Hall of Fame pitcher Joe Becker held the explosive Scouts to no runs scored until the bottom of the third where the scouts strung together 2 hits and a sacrifice fly to tie the ball game 1-1. Before the Rangers could squeak out of the third, the Scouts were able to score on an error pulling ahead going into the top of the fourth.

 

The Rangers offensive continued to struggle while the Scouts began getting hot in the bottom of the sixth inning. Stringing together four hits in a row and scoring 2 more runs to double their lead to 4-1 looked as if the second heartbreak of the day was coming for the Rangers. In the bottom of the 7th inning, with starter Joe Becker taking off his cleats, the future was bleak. With one out, Cooper Nolte reached on error which led way for Markus Neff to drive him on a hard ground ball right back up the middle closing in on the Scouts causing only a 2-run deficit. Kyle Moyer forced Markus out a second on a groundball to the shortstop leaving the game in the hands of Kujo who smoked a line drive right over the first base bag allowing Kyle to advance to third base. In an odd turn of events, Kyle Moyer called time. Coach Gilmore hustled to third base to investigate the issue. After Kyle suggested a leave early steal, we noticed the not-so-fast Kujo at first base. After thinking through the lineup, we decided that Joe could be inserted as a pinch runner to attempt to incite a rundown allowing Kyle to score. Time was called as Joe quickly ran into the dugout to lace up his cleats. As Noah Schleinitz stepped to the plate Joe took a favorable lead. After Noah took one pitch, the play came to fruition as Scouts pitcher Josh Cvetkovich attempted to pick off Joe as he took a monster lead. Luck was on the Rangers side as the throw squeaked under the glove of first basemen Brendan Anderson. As Joe rounded third base and got the sign from Coach Gilmore to take home and the Rangers did the improbable scoring the go-ahead run in the last inning with two outs. To round out the game, Hunter “Savenak” went 1-2-3 to for the Rangers to reign victorious over the Scouts in a dramatic, nail-biting fashion.

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