Benton Community and Mount Vernon battle to split

VAN HORNE - Two streaks came to an end.

Benton Community welcome it, while Mount Vernon would have preferred a slightly different conclusion.

In the end, the Bobcats and Mustangs split a Wamac Conference baseball doubleheader last night at Benton Community. Mount Vernon won the opener, 5-4, in nine innings, but had its four-game win streak halted when the Bobcats snapped a five-game skid with a 2-0 win in the nightcap.

Benton (9-9) dropped two previous twin bills, dropping a close one and then getting blown out. The Bobcats answered behind a strong pitching performance and defense.

'We feel we have a good ballclub,” Benton Community Coach Derek Anderson said. 'We just have to clean up some of the mental mistakes. We're really proud with how our kids responded.”

Anderson praised the team for its resilience, noting it could have been easy to fold after the loss. The Bobcats broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the top of the sixth, getting support for starter Nash Martensen, who scattered five hits over six innings. Freshman Spencer Touro retired Mount Vernon in order in the seventh for the save.

'To their credit, they kept battling the second game and found a way to scratch a couple runs across,” Anderson said. 'Nash threw a tremendous game. Touro came in, as a freshman, and went 1-2-3. That's what you want. It is something to build on.”

Brandon Lewis led off the sixth with the Bobcats' first hit of the game and advanced to second on a throwing error. Riley Pfifner laced a double left over a drawn in outfield, scoring Lewis. Pfifner then scored on Austin McFarland's sacrifice fly to right.

Anderson Pfifner sets the tone for the Bobcat offense. He has overcome injury that hampered the beginning of the season.

'He's been coming around,” Anderson said. 'He had a slow start. He's back to being healthy again. He's our catalyst.”

The split was hard to swallow for the Mustangs, who scored four early runs in the opener. They had a couple miscues and only managed to score in two of 16 innings.

'We just need to keep improving with each repetition we take,” Mount Vernon Coach Jeremy Elliott said.

The game went to extra innings tied, 4-4. In the bottom of the ninth, Travis Wright and Trenton Baty opened with walks and advanced on Carter Rodman's sacrifice. Jared Booth received an intentional walk, setting up Marquis Dew. He was hit by a pitch, bringing in the winning run and ending the game.

Wright threw six innings of one-run ball in relief to get the win for Mount Vernon (10-8). Sam Moore pitched well in the second game, taking a no-hit bid to the sixth.

'Our pitchers threw well,” Elliott said. 'Both of them pitched well enough for us to win both games and we didn't get it done.”

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