Baseball Recap: Benton Comes Up Short

Benton extended their losing streak to four on Friday, dropping them down to 9-14. They lost 14-5 to the Carterville Lions. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since June 7, 2021, but that streak is no more.

Kruz Koester was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.

As for Carterville, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 22-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games.

On Carterville's side, Drake Capie was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with one home run, six RBI, and one double. Those six RBI gave Capie a new career-high. Gavin Johnson also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.

Looking ahead, Benton will venture away from home to take on Harrisburg at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Rangers' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Bulldogs have averaged an impressive 10 runs per game this season. As for Carterville, they will be playing at home against Waterloo at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Lions' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Bulldogs have averaged an impressive 7.4 runs per game this season.