REX defeats Dans for Central Division Championship

REX Baseball is the 2024 Prospect League Central Division Champions!

REX defeats Dans for Central Division Championship
Box Score
August 2, 2024

The Basics
Score: REX Baseball 10, Danville Dans 3
Records: REX Baseball (33-23, 1-0), Danville Dans (30-27, 0-1)
Location: The Corn Crib - Normal, Illinois

NORMAL, IL  – The REX are headed to the Eastern Conference Championship game with a 10-3 victory over the Danville Dans Friday at The Corn Crib in Normal.

The Central Division Champion REX will travel to the Northeast Division Champion Chillicothe Paints for the Eastern Conference Championship.

The Dans scored first as Nate Chester singled home Michael Ryan with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead.

REX answered in the top of the second with a run of their own as Delvis Claudio doubled home Gabe Wright to tie the game 1-1.

Each starting pitcher then settled in. REX starter Deron Swanson tossed four straight scoreless frames retiring the Dans in order in all four innings, and Dans starter Gunnar Brown went scoreless in the 3rd and 4th.

REX broke through in the 5th off Brown. Eli Riley tripled to score Caden Mason before a double steal brought Riley in to score and gave REX the 3-1 lead. REX extended their lead the next frame scoring 3 more on a Mason 2 RBI single and a Riley RBI single.

The Dans answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th as Taft Middleton doubled to bring home Ryan and Chester singled home Josh Davis to cut the REX to just 6-3.

REX finally put the game away in the 8th, putting up 3 runs with 2 coming into score courtesy of a Nomar Garcia 2 RBI single. REX added 1 more in the 9th and finished with the 10-3 victory.

Turning Point
The game changed when the Dans' bullpen entered. Over the last 4 innings, the Dans' bullpen surrendered 10 hits and 7 runs.

Inside The Box Score

  • REX starter Deron Swanson picked up the victory, moving to 6-0 on the season.

  • Both teams picked up double-digit hits, REX outhitting the Dans 16-10.

  • Eli Riley and Caden Mason both accounted for 5 REX runs with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs each.

  • Michael Ryan picked up 3 hits for the Dans and scored 2 runs from the two-spot.

Notes

  • This is the third division championship for REX and their first since 2018.

  • REX will look to make their third Prospect League Championship Series appearance, winning titles in 2015 and 2018.

  • The Dans dropped their second straight first-round playoff game in Normal after falling to the Lucky Horseshoes last season.

Up Next
REX advances to Saturday's Conference Championship round and will face the Northwest Division Champion Chillicothe Paints. The Eastern Conference Championship game is set for 7:05 PM (ET) on Saturday and will be hosted by Paints at VA Memorial Stadium.