CARBONDALE - It was a good week for the Benton Junior High School baseball team. After dropping a tough decision at Carterville last Thursday (7-4), the Rangers have bounced back to post wins over Salem and Flora Saturday; West Frankfort Monday and Carbondale Tuesday.
Benton now stands 8-2 on the fall season.
"I've been impressed with the way the kids have battled back from deficits," said Rangers head coach Brett Blondi. "That shows what can happen when you play hard the entire game and not give up if you fall behind."
Blondi said the Rangers have steadily improved from the start of the season.
"We're definitely swinging the bats much better and our baserunning is much better," he said. "I'd have to say we are coming together as a team like I had hoped."
Benton cruised to a 17-0 win Tuesday in four innings at Carbondale.
Winning pitcher was eighth-grader Kaleb Vaughn. He worked three innings, allowed no runs on two hits an struck out five. Jacob Kinsman worked a scoreless fourth.
Offensively, Isaiah Ward (double), Tyler Fowlkes, Dylan Ahlberg, Jake Kraft, Tyler Chamness (double), Aiden Kimble, Collin Hill and Vaughn each collected a base hit.
Isaac Billington did not reach base by way of a hit, but drew some walks and stole five bases.
Benton's big inning was the second when nine runs crossed the plate.
On Monday, the Rangers blew past West Frankfort. 11-0, in six innings.
Winning pitcher was Andrew Bell, who went the distance, scattering three hits.
Reid Baumgarte was the offensive catalyst, going 4-4 with a double, three runs batted in and three runs scored. He also recorded five stolen bases.
Kinsman went 3-4 with a double and three RBIs. Chase Thomas was 2-3 with two RBIs.
On Saturday at Salem, Benton rallied in Game 1 to beat the host school, 6-5, in eight innings as part of a three-team round-robin tournament.
Chase Rubenacker was winning pitcher in relief of Thomas, Bell and Mason Tieffel. Rubenacker worked the final two innings.
In Game 2, Benton pulled off a Houdini act, overcoming a 10-2 deficit with five runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh to tie the game and eventually beat Flora, 15-11 in nine innings.
Rubenacker won the game in relief, his second win of the day.
At the dish, Chamness was 4-6 with two triples and five runs scored.
Asher Wyant went 4-5 with a double and five RBIs. Tieffel finished 3-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Baumgarte was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs and three runs scored. Kinsman went 2-6 with two RBIs. Thomas was 2-5 with an RBI. Bell was 2-5 with a double.
Benton returns to the diamond Thursday at home against Carmi. Game time is set for 4:30.
