Inspired Benton Community blanks North Linn on Cancer Awareness Night

VAN HORNE — We’ll come back to this shortly, because it bears noting that Benton Community played a complete softball game Monday night.

The Bobcats hit and pitched more than adequately and fielded brilliantly.

But on this night, 5-0 — the final score in the Bobcats’ victory over North Linn — took a back seat to another number: $1,737.

Once again, the “Benton community” came through in the clutch financially for Tatum Schroeder and her family in Benton’s cancer awareness night at Zittergruen Field.

“Before the game, it was pretty emotional,” said Benton’s Hannah Greiner, who — like Schroeder — will be a senior in the fall. “We were mentally focused. We played this game for Tatum.

“We’re all here, rallying for her. Sometimes, all you can do is be supportive.”

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Schroeder is in her second serious bout with cancer. Since her original diagnosis in March 2023, about $30,000 has been raised in school activities.

Monday’s amount consisted of $900 in shirt sales, $837 in cash donations.

“Most of these kids are very close with Tatum, and there’s a lot more to life than softball,” Bobcats Coach Jordon Rettenmeier said.

However, the game was on the schedule, and the Class 3A second-ranked Bobcats (27-6) played it extremely well.

Catcher Ana Glawe drove in two runs and threw out two would-be base-stealers, including North Linn speedster Skylar Benesh in the top of the first inning.

“Our defense was good. Our pitching was good. We were hitting it hard, though we left too many runners on base,” Rettenmeier said.

Greiner hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the first, and scored on Glawe’s sacrifice fly.

The Bobcats extended it to 3-0 in the third. An error lit the fuse, then Jessa DeMoss (single) and Layna DeMoss (sacrifice fly) knocked home a run apiece.

Jessa DeMoss (17-2) pitched a seven-hit shutout, striking out eight and walking one.

“I was excited for this game,” DeMoss said. “I love to play against their coach (Chad Spore); I’ve played (travel ball) for him for a long time, so I look forward to playing them each year.”

Marissa Nolte led off in the fourth inning with a walk and again in the sixth, and runs resulted each time: Emma Townsley singled home one run; Glawe singled home another.

The reigning 1A state champion and ranked No. 8 in the small-school class, North Linn (26-11) posted a 7-6 advantage in hits, but ran itself out of several scoring opportunities.

Benton Community 5, North Linn 0

At Van Horne

North Linn 000 000 0 — 0 7 2

Benton Community 102 101 x — 5 6 1

Kylie Munson and Jersey Peyton. Jessa DeMoss and Ana Glawe. W — DeMoss (17-2). L — Munson (17-7).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com