Benton baseball rolls Central in five innings; 2-0 to start season

(ST. JOSEPH, MO) - It took the Benton High School baseball team a few innings to get going against Central on Tuesday, but once the bottom of the 4th inning hit, the team found its offensive rhythm.

Benton scored 5 runs in the 4th and 6 runs in the 5th to go on to win 11-1 in 5 innings to improve to 2-0 to start the season and drop Central to 1-1.

Sophomore Kooper Gresham got the scoring started with a 2 RBI single in the 4th for Benton. After a bases loaded walk, freshman Carson Coy drove in 2 more runs on a double.

Sophomore Zaidyn Woodward, just two days removed with playing with the Benton boys basketball team at the state tournament in Columbia, got the start on the mound. He pitched all 5 innings, throwing 5 strikeouts and only giving up 1 hit and 1 run.

Gresham finished 2-for-3 at the plate with 3 RBI for Benton. Coy and Woodward both finished 1-for-3 with 3 RBI and senior Cy Polley finished 2-for-3 with 1 RBI.

For Central, junior Cole Hass got the start on the mound, pitching 3.2 innings with 6 strikeouts but gave up 5 hits and 2 runs.

"I think we're going to carry it on, and keep the momentum going. We've been working all winter," said Gresham. "This season is definitely big for the future, but I think we're all ready, and I think we can keep going and make it even better."

Afterwards, Benton head coach Johnny Coy talked about the talented sophomore class he has on the team this season.

"A lot of those kids grew up together, they grew up watching bit in baseball a lot of their lives. A couple of these kids dads I played with in high school, they were good players and they were raised to be ballplayers from the time they were born," said Coy. "You can see the hard work culminating up and they're only sophomores and they should be really inexperienced, but they all got a lot of experience last year as freshmen and I'm glad I get to hold on to him for a few more years.

Benton now will face rival Lafayette on Wednesday, March 25th at 4 pm at Phil Welch Stadium. For Central, the Indians will face Bishop LeBlond on the 25th at 4 pm.