Baseball: Batavia holds off Benet

Batavia relief pitcher Jake Robinson hardly vultured the win in Friday's 6-3 victory over Benet Academy at Pfund Stadium in Wheaton.

Sure, the right-hander gave up a 1-run, sixth-inning lead when a passed ball allowed Benet's Matt Kaufman to scamper home with an unearned run and knot the game 3-3.

And, yes, he was later credited with the victory after his Batavia teammates rallied for 3 seventh-inning runs, which normally puts a reliever's win in vulture territory.

Except Batavia (1-2) would not have enjoyed a late lead at all had it not been for Robinson's earlier escapes. Making his first varsity pitching appearance, he got out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings to limit Benet (2-3).

In the fourth inning, Robinson hit P.J. Wagener with a pitch and walked Erik Jones. A Batavia error on a potential double play ball offset by a Benet baserunning mistake left the bases loaded for No. 2 hitter Paddy Hincks. Robinson got ahead in the count 0-2 before inducing a routine groundball to second baseman Quinn O'Brien to maintain a 3-2 lead.

The Redwings put Marty Dosen at third base with one out in the fifth inning, but Robinson got out of trouble via a popup and an unassisted putout by catcher Tyler Munoz on a ball chopped off home plate.

Following the sixth-inning passed ball that tied the game 3-3, Robinson struck out the next hitter to preserve the tie.

"Them tying it was a bummer," Robinson said, "but I knew our offense could pick us up and get a few runs."

Indeed, the Bulldogs pounced in the seventh. Facing reliever Nick Imhoff, O'Brien led off with a single to right-center field and raced all the way to third when the sliding Benet center fielder was unable to cut off the ball.

Next up was No. 3 hitter Brent Norkus, who laced a 1-2 pitch for a turf-hugging single to left field that restored Batavia's 1-run lead.

"With two strikes I just poked it through," Norkus said. "It was a really good feeling finally to see Quinn come home from third base and get that 4-3 lead."

Munoz followed three batters later with a 2-run double down the left-field line. It was his first hit in 10 at-bats.

Robinson then retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out the last two Redwings he faced.

"We were very energetic in that last inning," Munoz said. "I just loved how we all battled back and held them off with Jake's amazing pitching."

Robinson (1-0) held the Redwings to an unearned run on 3 hits and a walk. He struck out 3 in 4 innings. Batavia starting pitcher Luke Golson allowed 2 unearned runs on 3 hits in 3 innings, struck out 2 and walked a pair.

Jones and No. 9 hitter Tyler Bautista each accounted for 2 of the Redwings' 6 hits. Benet left 8 men on base, 4 in scoring position.

"That's baseball. Things come in bunches," Benet coach Scott Lawler said. "The law of averages ... we're not getting them in right now but I have a feeling we will as the season goes on."

Benet starting pitcher Mark Moran allowed 3 earned runs on 5 hits in 4 innings. He struck out 6 without issuing a walk. Reliever Nick Imhoff (1-1) absorbed the loss after allowing 2 earned runs in 2⅓ innings.

The victory was the first for new coach Alex Beckmann, a 2008 Batavia graduate who played at Northern Illinois.

"We had a great answer in the top of the seventh and took advantage of some of their mistakes as well," Beckmann said. "Our guys played great. They put everything together today. Jake Robinson came in there and shut them down. He was outstanding."