The Benton Rangers came through in their first SIRR conference game of the year, besting the Herrin Tigers 3-2 at Eovaldi Field. This win improves Benton's overall record to 7-6, and 1-0 in the conference.
Coach Brett Blondi could barely choke back the emotion after the game as he talked about his winning Rangers. "I'm very proud of these guys," Blondi said. "You know we challenged them, and this is about the best team win that I think we've ever had." Blondi had been very critical of the Rangers at the end of their last game against Hamilton County, and for him, this victory was sweet redemption.
The Rangers finished the game with seven hits, while holding Herrin to just three. The top hitters for Benton were Cole Richardson, who was 1-for-2 with an RBI; and Tyson Houghland and Caleb Rock who both went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Also getting hits for Benton were Derek Oxford — who played through injured throwing hand, Dillan Chamness and Hamilton Page.
Benton went up 1-0 in the first after Chamness scored after getting on base with a two-out single. The Tigers scored their only two runs of the game in the third, as they went up 2-1 after a single by Trunton Stucker drove in Gavin Gosha, and then Stucker scored off an RBI by Blake Starkweather. Benton tied the game in the fourth after Chase Owens reached via base on balls and was driven in by Richardson after Oxford reached on a throwing error. Logan Threlkeld scored the deciding run for Benton in the fifth after also reaching via a walk. Also in the fifth, Owens reached first base after being struck in the helmet with by a high fastball.
The game was not without a little controversy as there was a heated argument in the sixth as the Herrin coaching staff got into a dispute with the first base umpire over a pickoff play to first that resulted in Jacob Hartline being called out when both Herrin coaches vehemently insisted he was safe. "I disagreed with the call, but we’ve got to be strong enough to overcome that," said Herrin coach Rick Damico after the game.
Page pitched five solid innings for the Rangers, fanning three batters, allowing only three hits, and two runs in the 21 batters he faced. Page dished out 37 strikes in a total of 52 pitches. He was relieved for the final two innings by Levi Pearce who closed out the game with 27 total pitches, including 27 strikes that resulted in three strikeouts, including setting down the final batter of the game on strikes in the top of the seventh. Pearce had no hits recorded against him.
For the Tigers, Gosha pitched the first four innings, facing a total of 21 batters, and allowing six hits and two runs. His replacement Aaron Sisk pitched the last two innings, facing 11 batters, giving up one hit and one run.
After the game, Blondi was complimentary of several of his key players. "Chase Owens did a tremendous job. I challenged him, and he came out and had some really good at bats, but more importantly he really kept us up. [Oxford] really set the table offensively. I thought we did a good job offensively. Hamilton Page did a tremendous job on the mound, and Levi came in and did what Levi does, and got the save," added Blondi.
The Rangers play their second conference game today against the rival West Frankfort Red Birds at the Frankfort Community Park.
