Pistol Shrimp outslug Rex in first game of Prospect League championship series

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp launched three home runs Monday to outslug Rex Baseball for a 13-8 victory in Terre Haute, Indiana, in Game 1 of the best-of-three Prospect League Championship Series.

Ryan Niedzwiedz led off the game with a home run, and Makana Olaso also hit a solo homer in the first inning to give the Shrimp a 2-0 lead.

However, Rex responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the second, Kyle Gibson hit a two-run single, Tyler Dorsch delivered an RBI single, and Olaso hit a sacrifice fly to give Illinois Valley a 6-4 lead.

Rex answered once again with two runs in the bottom half to tie it at 6-6.

The Shrimp took the lead for good in the third when Pambos Nicoloudes scored a run before breaking the game open with a five-run fourth.

In the fourth, Dorsch, Olaso and Will Ashley hit three straight singles to load the bases with one out.

Lucas Smith hit an RBI single to right field to make it 8-6.

Nicoloudes then blasted a grand slam to extend Illinois Valley’s lead to 12-6.

Niedzwiedz doubled home a run in the top of the ninth to make it 13-6 before Rex scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Dorsch went 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI, while Niedzwiedz, Olaso and Smith had two hits each. Niedzwiedz had two RBIs and two runs, Olaso scored twice and drove in a pair and Smith finished with a run and an RBI.

Daniel Castro earned the win in relief as he threw seven innings, allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out five batters and walking one.

Jeffrey Behrends pitched the final two-thirds of an inning, giving up one earned run on one hit with no strikeouts and two walks.

Game 2 of the series is at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.