SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – A season-best crowd of 749 fans were treated to a old-fashioned pitcher’s duel between the visiting REX Baseball (28-23, 13-10) and the Champion City Kings (16-35, 9-13) on Friday (July 26) night.
The Kings struck late with a two-run eighth inning, snapped a three-game slide to defeat the REX 2-1 at Carleton Davidson Stadium.
The REX took the early lead in the second inning off of Kings starter Julian Minaya (Hempstead, New York / Glenville State). REX Baseball led 1-0 until the eighth inning as both teams traded zeroes in the scoring column.
In the eighth inning, Champion City took advantage of two costly errors and timely hitting. James Salvatori (Wheeling, West Virginia / West Liberty) led off with a walk. He moved to second base on a passed ball and advanced to third when the REX catcher missed the throw to second base, trying to pickoff Salvatori. Alex Jones (Amherst, Ohio / Notre Dame College) walked to put runners on the corners with a bullpen move coming for Terre Haute. Ben Bach (Waconia, Minnesota / USAO) lined out to the shortstop. On the return throw to first base, Salvatori scored when the throw was wide of the base. Jones got up and ran all the way to third base. After a walk to Kolten Poorman (Bonne Terre, Missouri / Eastern Illinois), Joe Ricchio (Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin / Southern Indiana) lined the go-ahead single to left field as Champion City led 2-1.
Champion City tallied five hits with Bach adding a single and double for a multi-hit game. Ricchio and Poorman each walked twice in the game.
Minaya worked through command issues to go 4.1 innings with one unearned run allowed. He walked four batters with eight strikeouts while scattering three singles. Charlie Schafer (Beavercreek, Ohio / Wittenberg) closed the door in relief, limiting the REX to one hit and three walks in four and two thirds innings. He fanned seven, including three in the ninth. Schafer struck out the final batter of the game with the tying run at third base.
The two teams will face off in Terre Haute on Saturday (July 27) before the Kings will host Johnstown on Sunday (July 28) at 4:05 PM for the final Sunday home game.