TERRE HAUTE —
It’s written on the greaseboard in the Terre Haute Rex clubhouse that the team should be “All In, All Out For Nine Innings.”
The Rex put that slogan to test in a first-place battle with Richmond on Thursday at Bob Warn Field … and then some.
Entering the ninth inning with a two-run deficit, the Rex needed to generate a rally to maintain its Prospect League Central Division lead as the River Rats were on their heels, a half-game behind in the standings.
The Rex got exactly what they needed. It’s symantics whether you want to call Terre Haute’s key two-run ninth a Rex rally or a Richmond meltdown, but Rex patience at the plate paid off to make Richmond pay for its mistakes.
Terre Haute got the game to extra innings and once there, its bench made its presence felt. A leadoff walk by backup catcher Braden Kline, a tag-evading bunt single by Kyle Burnam up the first-base line and a single by Cole Vicars scored the winning run for the Rex as they rallied for a 6-5 victory in front of 742 onlookers.
The victory gave the Rex (10-3) a 1 1/2-game lead over the River Rats in the Central Division.
Vicars had entered the game in the ninth as a pinch-runner and Kline entered in the 10th and their contributions were huge in the Rex victory.
“When you get the call, you have to step in there no matter what situation you’re in. I know we’re always ready for it at all times,” Vicars said.
Vicars’ game-winning play was an apt coda to the game as Richmond (8-4) suffered from hard luck from the ninth inning onward. Vicars hit a low blooper into the gap near second base. Richmond second baseman Tyler Campbell ranged to his left to make an excellent stab. However, his throw to first was not only too late to get Vicars, but was also inaccurate as it dribbled past Richmond first baseman Garrett Stephens.
Kline, who was at third, was not initially going to run on the Vicars hit. But once the ball got past Stephens, he made a belated charge to the plate. By the time Stephens recovered and made an off-balance throw home, it was too late, as Kline slid across the plate for a dramatic game winner on the throwing error by Campbell.
“The determination alone says a lot about what this team’s belief is right now. It’s a huge win,” Rex manager Brian Dorsett said.
The ninth was just as dramatic, a testament to Terre Haute’s patience against Richmond closer Chuck Ghysels, who had trouble with his command.
Burnam drew a leadoff walk, followed by a Chris Carlson single. Nolan Earley then sacrificed both into scoring range. Alex DeLeon then drew a walk to load the bases.
After Alex Guthrie popped out to short, the Rex were up against it with two outs, but their patience didn’t wane. Koby Kraemer worked a 3-2 count against Ghysels, but stayed calm in the box when Ghysels threw ball four past him to force in Burman to make it 5-4.
“We knew we’d come back. We’d seen their closer a few times. We knew what he had,” Vicars said.
Next up was Joe Meggs. After Ghysels threw a ball, he was relieved by fireballer Freddie Cabrera.
Meggs barely saw Cabrera’s first pitch, but he certainly felt it. Cabrera’s first throw sailed to the right and hit Meggs squarely in the back. Pinch-runner Joel Licon strolled home to score the game-tying run. Jared Broughton struck out to end the Rex threat, but the damage had been done.
“We were game and really mentally ready to face their closer. We ramped our concentration up in that inning, we had some great at-bats. Burnam, Carlson, Earley, DeLeon, Guthrie had a good at-bat, Kraemer had a great at-bat, so did Meggs. He had two strikes on some of those guys. They just did a great job of composing themselves as players,” Dorsett said.
The Rex had early control of the game. After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Rex responded quickly. After Burnam reached on an error, Earley, who has hit .484 in his last seven games for the Rex, cracked a two-run homer to right field. It was the seventh home run hit by a Rex player at Bob Warn Field this season.
The Rex added another run on a Guthrie RBI single in the fifth as Terre Haute starter Austin Haynal cruised through five relatively easy innings.
However, Haynal came to earth in the sixth. A two-out, two-run RiverRats rally began with a Stephens double and was punctuated by a two-run home run to left by Ryan Skellie to tie the game.
Richmond took the lead in the eighth. A leadoff walk by Casey Jones and a single by Skellie set up Aaron Etchison, who hit a two-run double up the middle to make it 5-3.
The Rex begin a four-game road swing. Terre Haute plays a two-game series at Richmond starting tonight, followed by a two-game swing at Nashville.
The Rex next play at home Tuesday against Nashville.
Terre Haute Rex
Rex take first-place showdown with River Rats in 10th
- Terre Haute Rex
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Rex regain first place with 8-2 win at Springfield
Two former Vigo County high school baseball players played big roles Wednesday night as the Terre Haute Rex regained first place in the West Division of Prospect League baseball with an 8-2 win over the Springfield Sliders.
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Prettyman getting comfortable as boss
At first glance, it would be easy to look at first-year Terre Haute Rex manager Ronnie Prettyman and expect him to have a difficult journey during his maiden voyage as a baseball manager.
Managing in the Prospect League isn’t the easiest job in the world.
Rosters change constantly, especially early in the season when players are still reporting from their college teams. The travel is arduous — a night game in far-off Quincy, Ill., could be followed by a home game, followed by a game at equally far-off Hannibal, Mo. The players have to acclimate themselves to playing every day after having played a maximum of five games a week at the college level. -
Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Sliders’ frustration against Rex continues
The Springfield Sliders probably curse the departure of the Dubois County Bombers from the Prospect League more than most.
What do the Bombers, who now ply their trade in the Ohio Valley League, have to do with the Sliders, or for that matter, the Terre Haute Rex?
When the Bombers left the Prospect League it created a situation where the Prospect League’s West Division teams — the Rex and Sliders both being members — had one less opponent to play in intradivision play.
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Sanchez stays hot to lead Rex to victory
Hot seems to be the right temperature for Terre Haute Rex Ricky Sanchez.
After going 3-for-5 in the Rex win on Tuesday at Hannibal, Sanchez drove in four runs with a two hits Wednesday in Terre Haute’s 6-5 win over the same Cavemen at Bob Warn Stadium.
The win allowed the Rex to maintain a one-game lead on Quincy in the Prospect League West Division standings.
Sanchez, a catcher and outfielder out of Notre Dame, started the night hitting .355 and was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double.
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Rex fall at home to Sliders
Zack Evans drilled the second Terre Haute Rex home run of the season Sunday, smashing a line drive into the trees in left field. The ball left Bob Warn Field in a hurry, but the solo shot was not enough to overcome a 3-1 deficit to the Springfield Sliders.
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Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
During a 7-1 start and franchise-best seven-game winning streak, Terre Haute Rex pitching was the catalyst. Through eight games, the Rex led the Prospect League with an earned-run average of 1.11.
Even after giving up 10 runs Friday night in a 10-6 loss to the Quincy Gems, the Rex (7-2) are still the league leader in ERA at 2.09. -
Terre Haute Rex win franchise-record seventh straight game
Having begun its fourth season as a member of the Prospect League, the Terre Haute Rex summer baseball team had never won seven games in a row.
That is, until now. -
Rex pull even with Gems in first place after 14-inning win
It took 3 hours, 45 minutes on Tuesday at Bob Warn Field, but the Terre Haute Rex got even.
The Rex avenged their season-opening loss to the Quincy Gems, and the 5-4 victory in 14 innings also pulled the team even with the Gems atop the Prospect League West Division standings. -
Rex down Cavemen for fourth straight
Five Terre Haute Rex pitchers scattered six hits and four walks over nine innings on Sunday. All 10 baserunners were left stranded by Hannibal, and the Rex hurlers combined for a shutout of the Cavemen.
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Rex keep rolling with third straight victory
The formula didn’t have to change Saturday night as the Terre Haute Rex extended their winning streak to three games in Prospect League baseball.
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Wampler's three hits, three RBI lead Rex to win at Springfield
Tyler Wampler was 3-for-4 and had three RBI as the Terre Haute Rex earned its maiden victory of the 2013 season with a 6-0 victory over Springfield at Robin Roberts Field.
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Rex edged by Quincy in season opener
Kurt Kudrecki’s defense made a couple costly miscues, and his lineup managed just five hits through seven innings against Quincy, as the Gems held on for a 4-3 victory in the season opener for the Terre Haute Rex.
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. -
Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
Terre Haute Rex closer Nick Blount won one award and shared another and Brian Dorsett shared Manager of the Year honors as the Prospect League announced postseason awards Saturday.
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Rex out of playoffs
Successful playoff baseball = clean baseball.
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Rex mix, match their way to win
The Terre Haute Rex clinched a playoff spot last Thursday … but there were still four games to be played.
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Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
Fans attending this evening’s Terre Haute Rex game should expect some handouts, some surprises — and probably better start by the home team than the Rex could provide Saturday night.
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Rex drop road game to Sliders 7-1
One night after a dramatic come-from-behind victory, the Terre Haute Rex went down meekly to the Springfield Sliders 7-1 in Prospect League baseball Friday night.
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Rex defeat Springfield twice, clinch spot in playoffs
It was a long but fruitful night for the playoff-bound Terre Haute Rex.
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Playoff march continues: Rex creep closer to postseason with victory over Dans
Hire the band, make the floats, and rent out a street.
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Rex split, retain 3 1⁄2-game advantage in West Division
A five-run ninth-inning rally fell far short for the Terre Haute Rex on Sunday night in Prospect League baseball.
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No no-hitter, but Rex triumphs
Kyle Zimmerman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, lost his control and the lead, but the Terre Haute Rex offense had an immediate answer Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Travel baseball teams enjoy busy summer
So in the past two or three years, the increase in local travel baseball options has been led by three groups, Indiana (formerly Terre Haute) Havoc, Riley Recreation League and Junior Rex.
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First-place Rex top rival Bombers
If you haven’t been to a Terre Haute Rex game yet this season, tonight might be the time to go.
The Rex have a second straight home game against the Dubois County Bombers, a potential Prospect League West Division playoff preview — and a battle between maybe the division’s two biggest rivals. -
Rex top Cavemen, raise record to 14-6
The first-place Terre Haute Rex picked up a 6-4 victory Wednesday at Hannibal, Mo., against the Cavemen.
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Rex win first game of Saturday doubleheader
Terre Haute maintained its stronghold on first place in the Prospect League West Division on Saturday, the Rex defeating Dubois County 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
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Strunc fans 10, Rex win 12-10
Power pitching and power hitting kept a season-high crowd of 1,732 Rex fans on the edge of their seats Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Starting role suits Cunningham as Rex win
Nick Cunningham took the mound Thursday in his relatively new role as starting pitcher looking to give the Terre Haute Rex some breathing room atop the Prospect League West Division standings.
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Rex fall at Danville, maintain two-game division lead
The Terre Haute Rex lost 7-4 on Wednesday at Danville, falling to 9-4 in the second half of the Prospect League schedule.
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