Harrisburg had won six straight on the road, but on Saturday they bumped their record up to 19-10 to make it seven. They came out on top against the Benton Rangers by a score of 13-9. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Rangers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Maddux Smothers made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over 3.2 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. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Aidan Hankins
| 05/10/25 @ Benton | 3 |
| 05/09/25 vs Pinckneyville | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Hardin County | 2 |
| 03/25/25 vs Vernon Hills | 2 |
| 03/22/25 vs Galesburg | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aidan Hankins, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ian Crabb, who went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
As for Benton, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost 16 of their last 19 matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-20 record this season. They just can't catch a break and have now endured three defeats in a row.
On Benton's side, Kyle Thomas was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Thomas has become a key player for the Rangers: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 3-19 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Drake Porter, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Harrisburg has already played their next game, a 5-1 win against Mt. Vernon on the 13th. As for Benton, they also didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next contest, a 5-4 victory against Hamilton County on the 14th.
