6/25/2020
Game 5
The Rangers played its first weeknight of the season, and the offense and defense continued to impress in a 21-6 win over the Wright Knights at Rotary Park.
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Reeling from the recent loss of Nick Gilmore to a potential season-ending injury, rookie Cal Walters was thrown into the role of the new leadoff hitter and did not disappoint, scoring and/or driving in a run in each of his first 5 plate appearances on the night.
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The Rangers struck first as Walters led the game off with a double and scored on Rob Pederson's ground out. In the second, Chris Jones scored on an error, and three batters later, Walters delivered a 2-run home run, in second in as many games. In the third inning, Chris Ridl singled home a pair of runs and later scored on an error. Markus Neff had an RBI double and Walters added an RBI single to give the Rangers a 9-0 lead.
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In the meantime, Kenny Owens was dealing on the mound, K'ing a pair through the first two scoreless frames. The Knights got their first tally in the bottom of the third on an Alec Hutzelman RBI single.
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In the top of the 4th, Moyer and Becker singled, and Ridl drove home Moyer. Becker scored on Jones' sac fly, and Walters had a bases-load walk to cap a 3-run inning for the Rangers. The Rangers got 3 more in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to Jones, a sac fly by Cooper Nolte, and a bases-loaded HBP to Walters.
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The Knights finally got to Owens in the fifth, scoring 4 times which but a slight blemish on an otherwise outstanding performance.
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But the Rangers offense continued to produce in the 6th. Ridl reached on an RBI fielder's choice. Nolte plated another, and Neff had a 2-run double. Schooler finished things off with an RBI single.
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Hunter Kraynak finished off Owen's victory with a couple of strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run.
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Rangers 21,
Knights 6,
6 inn
Offensive highlights: Cal Walters 3-for-3, 2R, 5RBI, double, HR; Ben Schooler 2-for-5 RBI; Kyle Moyer 2-for-5, 4R, SB; Eric Becker 2-for-4, 3R, double; Chris Ridl 2-for-4, 4R, 4RBI; Cooper Nolte 3-for-4, 3R, double, SB; Markus Neff 2-for-3, 2R, 3RBI, 2 doubles.
Historical Notes: None