Eight-run explosion lifts Rex past Clinton

The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

Jul. 28—Nothing like a big inning to ease your mind in baseball.

The Rex got the gift of a big inning at Bob Warn Field on Wednesday against Clinton. An eight-run seventh inning was more than enough for the Rex to earn a 9-2 win as they split the two-game series with the LumberKings.

Kade Lassen and Mason White each had two-hit games for the Rex. Aaron Beck had three RBI. All three were central to the Rex explosion in the seventh.

Parks Bouck knocked in what was then the tying run via a groundout. Lassen then hit a RBI single to center to knock in Jayson Cottrell. Beck then had the big blow, a three-run double to right to make it 5-2.

The Rex added more runs via White's two-run single followed by run-scoring singles by Ashton Smith and Brandon Boxer.

The LumberKings opened scoring in the fourth and led 2-0 by the top of the fifth. The Rex answered in the bottom of the fifth via a Bouck RBI single.

Tyce Ochs pitched five innings for the Rex, but Lane Miller earned the win as he pitched the final four innings. Both pitchers struck out three.

The Rex (14-7) are in a virtual tie with Illinois Valley for second place in the Prospect League.

There is continuing ambiguity about the Rex result against Illinois Valley on July 11. A win on the field for the Rex, it was reversed to a loss as the Rex were deemed to have used an illegal player. Later, the Prospect League restored the win on the field for the Rex, but it now shows as an Illinois Valley victory again.

A playoff spot goes to the second-place team in the Wabash River Division, so the impact of whether the Rex forfeited that game is significant.

The Rex have Thursday off. They will play Friday at Champion City. The Rex play their next three on the road before returning home Monday to host Chillicothe.