DANVILLE — The new week has brought some new energy to the Danville Dans.
The Dans’ offense scored 11 runs for the second straight game as they defeated the Terre Haute Rex 11-7 on Tuesday at Danville Stadium.
“I am proud of the guys for putting off a great offensive performance,” Dans coach Cam Gross said. “You are going to be hard pressed to complain about 11 runs, especially with Mason (McReynolds)’s mammoth shot. We had some new additions like Bryce Vorwald, who played well in left field and was a menace on the base paths and Jackson Wagner had a great game behind the plate, so I was happy with the new additions who came in and contributed.”
The Dans got started in the first inning with and RBI single by Hudson Roberts and got a second run when Carson Brady was hit by pitch with the bases loaded, leading to Chase Bays scoring.
Terre Haute was bolstered early by Wally Diaz, who hit a home run in the second and a homer in the fourth to tie things up before Bryson Carpenter scored on an error to give the Rex a 3-2 lead.
Vorwald scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth to tie before the Dans got the lead for good in the sixth.
Bays would bring in two runs to start the inning and Roberts brought in two runs with a single before McReynolds hit a three-run home run.
“I was looking for something during my whole Ab and on a 3-2 count, I was able to get it and once I did, I got it and hit it well,” McReynolds said.
Amir Streeter scored the final run for the Dans in the eighth when Vorwald struck out but was able to reach first on an errant throw.
But the Rex were not done in the ninth. Diaz was hit by pitch with the bases loaded before Nate Millington brought in two runs with a single and Diaz would score unearned when Dallas Coleman reached first on an error. But Danville’s James Duckworth would slow them down to get his first save of the year.
“In the ninth inning, we had to make things interesting. Guys have to throw more strikes and play better defense,” Gross said. “Wally Diaz is a great player and if it wasn’t for him, they wouldn’t have much runs, He hit two home runs today and we had to work around that guy. Our pitchers, other that one batter, did a great job and I will chalk that up to Wally is a great player.”
Nolan Hataway got the win after starter Jackson Kees went four innings and had three strikeouts and Cooper Pumphrey had three strikeouts in the fifth inning before Hataway had three strikeouts in three innings. Chase Harrison started out the ninth before Duckworth came in for the save.
The Dans are now 10-7 and hope that the last two games is just the start for an offensive awakening.
“That’s a credit to the guys for having some resolve to be willing to bounce back,” Gross said. “We want this division and we want it bad. We want to win every single game and we are going to keep planning on doing that. As long as the offense is humming like this, and as long as we pitch and play some defense, we are going to be a tough team to beat.”
“I think everyone is fired up, I feel the offense is finally starting to find it and our pitching has been picking up.,” McReynolds said. “Once we can piece that together, I think we can be a great team and I think we are finally finding that.”
The Dans are on the road with games against Terre Haute on Wednesday, a game against the Kokomo Creek Chubs on Thursday and a game against the Decatur Bean Ballers on Friday.
On Saturday, the Dans return to Danville Stadium for a game with the Champion City Half Trax at 6:30 p.m. The game will be a celebration of the Stadium’s 80th anniversary.
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