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Benet, Christensen stymie St. Charles East

Benet senior Joey Christensen broke his right thumb sliding into home plate during a travel baseball game over the weekend.

Good thing for the Redwings that he's left-handed.

Christensen dominated St. Charles East Tuesday morning, throwing a 1-hitter with 10 strikeouts for a 2-0 win in the Phil Lawler Summer Classic state tournament at Benedictine University.

Benet (18-7) advances to the semifinals at 5 p.m. Wednesday back at Benedictine for the first time in program history.

"It's a great thing for our program, a special thing for our kids especially having a lot of young guys," Benet coach Scott Lawler said. "Great pitcher's duel. Both pitchers pitched out of jams. Just a great baseball game."

Christensen threw 113 pitches, 69 for strikes. He started the game striking out the side in the first inning and ended it striking out the side in the seventh.

"(Catcher) Jake (Barnhart) was calling a good game and I kept hitting my spots," Christensen said. "My breaking ball was really good today, changeup threw guys off. I knew this was going to be a close game. I knew I had to keep my team in the game. That kind of motivated me."

St. Charles East (28-8) starter Matt Breidigan nearly matched Christensen pitch for pitch. He threw 76 pitches in his 6 innings, allowing 6 hits while striking out 6 and walking none.

The only runs Benet scored came from its first two batters in the bottom of the first. Josh Tumpane reached on an error and scored when Erik Jones blasted his second home run of the summer over the right field fence on an outside fastball.

"I didn't miss my spot on that one," Breidigan said. "It happens. Hats off to that kid. The rest of the game I threw pretty well so I can't be too hard on myself. I had a lot working for me. My arm was nice and loose and the changeup was pretty effective throughout the game."

Jones also singled and lined out to right, the only Redwing with 2 hits.

"He's a great athlete, great power," Lawler said. "He's probably one of our best hitters and has not been hitting of late. I kind of feel that (home run) was the monkey off his back. He got a fastball and let it go."

Monty Carbonell doubled to lead off the second inning, the lone hit Christensen allowed. He ended up getting stranded at third base after the Saints had a runner picked off first base, then couldn't put the ball in play with Carbonell at third with 1 out.

The Saints also had a runner at third with 1 out in the third inning but again couldn't plate the run. Christensen did the rest, retiring 15 of the final 16 hitters he faced.

"We had a few opportunities we did not capitalize on," Saints coach Len Asquini said. "We hit two ground balls in the right situations and it's two runs. Game of inches.

"Their guy was tough. He certainly handcuffed us. What's his last name, Sale? I didn't know we had to face Chris Sale here. Credit him. He threw big pitches in big times."

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