Benton Central is a perfect 6-0 against Tri-County since April of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Bison will square off against the Cavaliers at 5:30 p.m. Benton Central will aim to continue their four-game streak of scoring more runs each contest than the last.
Benton Central is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past North Newton 17-7 on Thursday. With that win, the Bison brought their scoring average up to 6.9 runs per game.
Nolan Winkler made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2025.
Spencer Flook
| 04/23/26 @ North Newton | 3 |
| 04/21/26 vs North Newton | 2 |
| 04/10/26 @ Rensselaer Central | 2 |
| 04/06/26 vs South Newton | 2 |
| 04/13/26 vs Clinton Prairie | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
In other batting news, Tanner Pitstick and Spencer Flook did most of the damage at the plate: Pitstick fired off two home runs, three runs, and four RBI while going 3-for-4, while Flook fired off two home runs, three runs, and four RBI while going 2-for-3. Flook is becoming a predictor of Benton Central's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 1-6 when he doesn't). Kamron Rider was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Benton Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .595. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Tri-County was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 6-5 heartbreaker at the hands of West Central.
Ian Houser was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two doubles. Luke Voors also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Tri-County's loss dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Benton Central, their record now sits at 5-6.
Benton Central came out on top in a nail-biter against Tri-County when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 5-3. Do the Bison have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cavaliers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
