Benton picks up key win over Sugar Valley 11-1 in baseball

By Bees O’Brien

BENTON- The Benton Tigers led District IV 1A a season ago, but times have changed for a team that has been use to qualifying for the postseason by this point in the season. The Tigers desperately couldn’t afford a slip up to the Phoenix of Sugar Valley.

Benton entered the game at 5-7 and needs to get to the .500 mark over the course of the next couple weeks or risk sitting the District IV 1A playoffs out.

The Tigers would respond following a Sugar Valley run from Cayden Weaver by scoring one of their own in the bottom of the first inning.

Benton would then open up the flood gates and take advantage of 4 Phoenix errors and plate 8 runs in the bottom of the second inning to build a 9-1 lead. A single run in the bottom of the third inning and a final run in the Tigers’ half of fifth would force the final 11-1 mercy rule victory.

Cayden Weaver, Lincoln Breon, Lance Winchester, Jarren McCloskey and Levi Galentine all had hits for Sugar Valley in the loss.

Sugar Valley (0-11) will be searching for their first victory of the season on Wednesday when they are set to host Bucktail (1-10) at Taggert Park.