The Blair Bears will look to take advantage of their home field for the first time this season as they take on the Bennington Badgers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are still undefeated (Blair has three wins , while Bennington has four dating back to last season).
Blair had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Aurora on Saturday. The Bears blew past the Houn Dawgs 19-12.
Josh Stephenson was incredible, firing off four doubles, five RBI, and two runs while going 4-for-4. Brevin Leggott was another key player, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Blair kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since the start of last season.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Bennington made sure to put some runs up on the board against Nebraska City on Monday. The Badgers were the clear victors by a 12-3 margin over the Pioneers. The Badgers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by nine runs or more this season.
Dominic Mendicino and Dominic Driggs dominated on the mound. Mendicino tossed five innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits, while Driggs tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
At the plate, Bennington let Brayden Kloster and Colby Dean run wild. Kloster went 4-for-5 with three RBI and one run, while Dean went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. That stolen base marked the first that Dean has snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Brendon Da Luz, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Bennington's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Blair, their victory bumped their record up to 3-0.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Blair hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .376. However, it's not like Bennington struggles in that department as they've averaged .350. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Blair couldn't quite finish off Bennington in their previous matchup back in March of 2025 and fell 6-4. Will the Bears have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
