The Benton Rangers will head out to take on the Massac County Patriots at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Benton has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with three straight defeats, while Massac County will come in with seven straight wins.
Monday just wasn't the day for Benton's offense. They lost 10-0 to Mt. Vernon on Monday.
Benton saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kyle Thomas, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one double.
The home team had come away the winner the last five times Massac County and Vienna had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Patriots came out on top against the Eagles by a score of 7-3 on Tuesday. The game was the first time the Patriots have beaten the Eagles on their field since March 26, 2019.
Josh Gilbert and Zach Maurer were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Gilbert struck out six batters over four innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Maurer pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. At the plate, Gilbert went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double, while Maurer scored a run while going 2-for-4. That's the most RBI Gilbert has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Max Elliott and Ryan Musselman did most of the damage at the plate: Elliott scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-4, while Musselman went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. Those three stolen bases gave Elliott a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Zack Krueger, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases.
Massac County pushed their record up to 7-0 with the victory, which was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.5 runs over those games. As for Benton, their loss dropped their record down to 4-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Benton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Massac County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Benton might still be hurting after the 11-4 defeat they got from Massac County in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can the Rangers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
