Last night, the REX entered the doubleheader against the Champion City Kings after coming off a successful road trip where they won both games against the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp and the Kings. The REX were hoping to start a winning streak after a rough start to the second half of the season. The Kings were also looking to turn their second half of the season around.
The first game of the doubleheader started as a pitchers' duel with no runs being scored until the bottom of the sixth when catcher Canton Terry earned a bases loaded walk. The REX entered the top of the seventh with a 1-0 lead. The Kings responded with three runs in the top of the seventh to give them a 3-1 lead. The REX were down to their final three outs. First baseman Nate Wolf knocked a base hit that scored pinch runner Cole Whitlock. Designated hitter Dylan Janke followed that up with a single of his own that scored third baseman Alec Brunson. After seven, the game was tied at three. The Kings were held in check in the top of the eighth leaving the REX with a chance to walk it off. Terry reached first on a base-on-balls. Second baseman Colter Couillard-Rodak got on to base with a walk as well. Then, right fielder Jack Leverenz loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Leadoff hitter and outfielder Alec Atkinson came up to the plate next. He swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it to the outfield to score Terry and walk it off for the REX with a 4-3 victory! Connor VanLannen earned the win on the mound.
The second game of the doubleheader was much different than the first, with scoring coming early and often. The REX crossed home first on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Kaleb Hannahs that scored Atkinson. The Kings took the lead in the top of the second with two runs of their own. That lead would not last long though. In the bottom of the inning, Leverenz hit an opposite field two-run home run to take a 3-2 lead. In the top of third the Kings tied up the game at three. In the bottom of the third the REX got hot. Janke hit a three run no doubt home run to start the hot inning for the REX. Center fielder Tyler Nelson then scored on a Leverenz single. With the bases loaded, Atkinson hit a triple to score everyone on base! Atkinson would later cross home plate on a single by Hannahs. The inning would end with Wabash Valley's Own being ahead 11-3. In the top of the sixth, the Kings tried to make things interesting when they scored four. The REX were able to hold on to a 11-7 victory and improved their record to 5-5 on the second half of the season. Pitcher Cole Gilley earned the win.
The REX are playing the Danville Dans tonight for sole possession of second place in the Wabash River Division at 6:30 PM EST at Bob Warn Field.
GO REX!