Author: Cameron Collins - REX Staff Intern
The Terre Haute REX ended the month of June with a home game against the Alton River Dragons. The REX got on the board first in the bottom of the third when Will Egger drove in Aaron Beck with a double following Beck’s triple. Parks Bouck joined in on the fun adding an RBI double of his own directly following Egger. Jordan Schaffer added the exclamation point to the inning when he hammered a three-run home run over the left-field fence. Bouck once again followed the lead of his teammates in the fourth inning when he hit his own three-run home run. Egger added some insurance runs when he drove in two runs with a triple in the bottom of the fifth. The River Dragons turned around and hit their own home run in the top of the sixth. They then gave the REX a scare, scoring seven runs in the seventh. With a two-run lead heading into the ninth, the REX gave up an RBI double but proceeded to get the next two batters out to secure the 10-9 victory.
For their first game of July, the REX hosted the Champion City Kings. The REX didn’t waste any time as they scored five runs in the first inning. Alec Brunson got the Fourth of July weekend fireworks started early with a two-run home run to left field. Randal Diaz laid down an RBI bunt single, with Luis Hernandez driving in a run later in the inning with an RBI groundout to the shortstop. The Kings got three of those runs back in the top of the second, just before David Miller hit a sacrifice fly for the REX in the bottom half of the inning. The Kings added two more runs in the third with an RBI single and fielder's choice. Brunson continued his impressive day with two more runs of his own and an RBI double that drove home Kade Lassen on an error by the right fielder. The Kings scored in the sixth and seventh, making the score 8-7. In the bottom of the eighth, Brandon Boxer and Hernandez each had RBI singles. The Kings scored a run in the top of the ninth but the REX held on to win 11-8.
The following day was the REX’s lone home doubleheader against the Kings. In the first game, the REX took the lead in the third with a sacrifice fly from Bouck and an RBI single from Schaffer. The Kings tied the game in the sixth, then took the lead with a five run seventh inning. The REX couldn’t answer the Kings, losing 7-2. In the second game of the doubleheader, Schaffer got the REX going early with an RBI double to left field. Miller and Diaz included RBIs of their own for a three run first inning. The Kings came back with three runs in the second. The teams traded runs in the fourth, each scoring one. This would be the last run from the REX on the night, and the Kings scored five more including a grand slam in the sixth. The final score of the game was 9-4, with the REX dropping both games of the double header. This ended the first half of the season, with the team posting a 19-11 record.
The REX traveled to Normal, Illinois on the third to face the Cornbelters. The losing stopped here for the REX, as they piled on 18 runs in what would only end up being a seven inning game. The first inning was a wild one, as Bouck, Brunson, and Diaz each scored on wild pitches. Miller also added a home run to bring his season total and league-leading tally to eight. Mason White
hit his first long ball of the season in the top of the third. Seven different players tallied RBIs, including Bouck and Boxer each having three. The REX strutted out of Illinois with an 18-2 win.
After a well-deserved day off for the Fourth of July, the REX headed back to Bob Warn Field for a game against the River Dragons on the fifth. The team was still in the holiday spirit however, giving the REX faithful a firework show of their own. Brunson demolished a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, and Bouck annihilated his own solo shot in the second. Robert Ciulla added to the show, hitting a moonshot in the sixth that also scored Boxer. Devin Ecklar earned the win, pitching six innings and giving up one run on three hits. Ecklar also struck out six to add to his team-leading 33 K’s.
Miller has been terrific thus far, boasting a .364 batting average along with 33 RBIs and 8 home runs, each of which are top five in the league. Brunson, a 2021 all-star, has also had an incredible season. He is hitting .352 and has a league-leading 38 RBIs.
After a quick three-game road trip, the REX are at home for six games in seven days. They start out the homestand against the Lafayette Aviators for the fourth game of the King of the Wabash Ruoff Rivalry Series, in which they are currently leading 2-1. Come out and show your support for the REX as they look to build on their already impressive season!
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