Benton was the 4-2 winner over Waltonville when they last played one another back in April of 2024, but their luck changed this time around. The Rangers fell just short of the Spartans by a score of 9-8 on Saturday. The Rangers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Kruz Koester
| 04/23/26 vs Herrin | 3 |
| 03/30/26 vs Mt. Vernon | 3 |
| 03/18/26 @ Centralia | 3 |
| 04/06/26 vs DuQuoin | 2 |
| 03/21/26 vs Tuscola | 2 |
| + 1 more games |
Kruz Koester put in work while hitting and pitching. He tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because Benton is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 7-11 otherwise. Koester was also big at the plate, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Drake Porter was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Nolan Schafer, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Benton's loss dropped their record down to 9-12. As for Waltonville, their win bumped their record up to 12-6.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Benton will host Nashville at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Waltonville, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Red Hill at 4:30 p.m. on the 11th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
