Champion City’s Hilario DeLaPaz III went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, David Novak went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run and Tyler Cox went 2-for-4 with a double for the Kings, which tied the franchise record for most wins in a Prospect League season with 29.
Tough loss against a tough team. The work this team has put in this year can’t be put into words. So much to be proud of❤️ pic.twitter.com/Lt5IU42Lpy
— Champion City Kings (@champcitykings) August 7, 2023
Champion City starting pitcher Gabe Phipps went six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Kyle Kesel worked two innings in relief, allowing one hit and one unearned run with two strikeouts.
The Kings outhit the Paints 11-8 but left 10 runners on base.
Champion City took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Novak walked to start the inning and Brayden Quincel was hit by a pitch, giving the Kings two on with no outs. DeLaPaz brought in a run on a single to shortstop and Evan Lorey followed with a single to center field, scoring Quincel.
The Paints took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a RBI single by Cameron Bowen, a wild pitch and a two-RBI single by Tim Orr.
Champion City reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Ben Bach and a two-run double by DeLaPaz to make it 5-4.
The Paints struck back, regaining the lead at 6-5 on a two-run home run by Victor Figueroa in the bottom of the inning.
The Kings threatened in the seventh inning. A single by Day and a double by Novak gave Champion City two on with no outs, but the Kings couldn’t push a run across the plate.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Paints loaded the bases and made it 7-5 when Kesel was called for a balk.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Kings cut the score to 7-6 on a home run by Novak, but were unable to tie the score.
Chillicothe, who is seeking its third championship in four seasons, advanced to the Prospect League Eastern Conference championship game. They’ll host either the Danville (Ill.) Dans or the Springfield (Ill.) Lucky Horseshoes at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Chillicothe VA Memorial Stadium.
The winner will play the Western Conference champion — either the Quincy (Ill.) Gems or the Thrillville (Marion, Ill.) Thrillbilles — in the three-game Prospect League Championship series beginning Aug. 10 through Aug. 13.
The Kings finished the first half in last-place in the Ohio River Valley Division with a 10-19 record, but won 19 games in the second half to finish the regular season 29-29 and clinch a second half playoff spot. It’s just the second time since moving to Springfield in 2014 that the franchise has finished the regular season with a .500 mark.
Champion City last won the Ohio River Valley Division championship in 2021 before falling to the Lafayette (Ind.) Aviators in the Eastern Conference final.
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