The Kankakee Valley Kougars will head out on the road to face off against the Benton Central Bison at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Kankakee Valley will be strutting in after a win while Benton Central will be coming in after a loss.
Kankakee Valley barely beat Rensselaer Central the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Kougars put the hurt on the Bombers with a sharp 10-2 victory on Friday. The Kougars haven't had any issues with the Bombers recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Elliott Patton
| 05/06/25 vs Highland | 4 |
| 05/02/25 vs North Newton | 2 |
| 04/24/25 vs Morgan Township | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Andrean | 2 |
| 04/12/25 vs Michigan City | 2 |
| + 1 more games |
Elliott Patton looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out seven over four innings pitched. He has become a key player for Kankakee Valley: the team is 4-2 when he allows at most two hits, but 4-7-1 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Declan Murr and Donny Stam did most of the damage at the plate: Murr went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Stam went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. Murr is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games he's played. Another player making a difference was GrayLee Weaver, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Kankakee Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Benton Central was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They lost 13-2 to North Montgomery.
Benton Central saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Caden Kawlewski, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.
Benton Central's loss dropped their record down to 5-15. As for Kankakee Valley, their record now sits at 8-9-1.
Kankakee Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's match. The Kougars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Benton Central, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Kankakee Valley continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
