It was a baseball season to remember for St. Charles East alum Benjamin

It was a September to remember for Wes Benjamin.

Actually, June, July and August were pretty good months, too.

Benjamin, a 2011 graduate of St. Charles East High School, went on to play three seasons of collegiate baseball at the University of Kansas before being selected in the fifth round (156th overall) of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft by the Texas Rangers in 2014.

After a solid showing in low-A Hickory (N.C.) last season (6-5 record, 3.79 ERA), Benjamin recently concluded his second full season in the minors some 255 miles due east in Kinston (N.C.) with the Rangers' advanced-A team, the Down East Wood Ducks.

The Woodies struggled through the first half of the season with a 24-45 record, finishing 18½ games behind Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League's Southern Division.

Benjamin, a left-handed starting pitcher, compiled a 4-6 record and 5.21 ERA with 24 walks in 57 innings during the first half.

"I really wasn't discouraged by any stat lines," said Benjamin. "I didn't execute as well as I should have but I learned how to deal with some adversity."

In addition, the Rangers had instituted a few new policies for their Class A teams - mandating that pitchers throw only fastballs and change-ups the first time through their opponents' batting order for the first eight weeks of the season.

"They wanted our fastball command numbers to improve," said Benjamin.

Things changed dramatically for Benjamin - and the Wood Ducks - in the second half.

Benjamin, who closed out the first half with 7 scoreless innings of 5-hit ball in an 8-0 win over Winston-Salem in mid-June, got his second half started on a positive note with 6 quality innings (2 runs allowed) pitched during the Woodies' 14-6 victory over Myrtle Beach the following week.

in mid-August, the 24-year-old earned Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing a 2-hit shutout over a career-high 7⅔ innings during the team's 1-0 win over Carolina.

Benjamin carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Wood Ducks won their ninth consecutive game that the southpaw started.

"I was put in a good position in the second half," said Benjamin. "I received good run support and I started to work deeper into games."

As Benjamin rounded into form, so did his Wood Ducks teammates.

Trailing Buies Creek (Astros) by 7 ½ games with 16 games remaining, Down East faced a nearly insurmountable task while trying to capture the Southern Division second-half title and secure a playoff berth.

"We had nothing to lose," said Benjamin.

The late charge continued over the next couple weeks, as the Wood Ducks pulled within 1 ½ games of first-place Buies Creek going into the final 4 games of the regular season against - Buies Creek.

"We showed up at the park thinking we were going to win today," said Benjamin. "Everybody started to gel at the right time."

After the opening game of the series was rained out, host Buies Creek's 1-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader left the Woodies on the brink of elimination.

Down East won the nightcap, 5-2, and late-season call-up Kyle Cody kept the momentum going, picking up his third win (in 5 starts) in the Woodies' 7-3 victory - forcing a winner-take-all Labor Day matchup.

Who would the Wood Ducks send to the mound for the potential playoff clincher?

Benjamin, of course.

"You don't get many opportunities like that," he said. "I was happy to get the chance. It kicked me into another gear."

Pitching on just 4 days rest, Benjamin worked into the sixth inning while recording his 10th victory of the season (tied for third in the Carolina League) in the Woodies' playoff-clinching, 10-3 win.

With Hurricane Irma lurking in the south Atlantic, the Woodies' divisional playoff series against Myrtle Beach was shortened to a best-of-three format.

Down East won the opener, 4-1, on its home field at Grainger Stadium, then captured a share of the Mills Cup (co-champions with Lynchburg - the finals were canceled due to the storm) with a 2-1 victory on Sept. 8.

"It was a great feeling and fitting way to cap the year in our inaugural season in Kinston," said Benjamin, who posted a 6-1 record and 2.77 ERA in the second half. "I've never finished on a first-place team in my life."

Benjamin, who roomed with Lockport native Josh Altmann for the second straight season, praised his coaches, teammates and the Kinston community for their season-long support.

"We received incredible fan support," said Benjamin, who also thanked his parents, Scott and Jan, for their never-ending support.

Where will he pitch next season?

It's not in my control," said Benjamin, who finished with a 10-7 mark and 3.94 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 118 ⅔ innings pitched. "Hopefully I'll give them (front office personnel) a tough decision come spring training."

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com