North Stars beat Benton behind 9-run 2nd inning

The St. Charles North baseball team notched its first victory of the season Friday by downing Benton 14-6.

The North Stars broke the game open with a 9-run second inning in which they collected 4 hits to go along with 4 walks and sent 12 batters to the plate. Key hits in the inning included 2-run singles by K.C. Wright and Ryan Richardson.

Overall, the North Stars collected 14 hits to go along with 6 walks and 2 hit batters.

Wright and Kevin Borst led the way with 3 hits each, while Richardson and Brandon Nothnagel collected 2 apiece.

Starting pitcher Ryan Johansen picked up the victory by allowing only 1 hit over 3 innings of work while walking 4 and striking out 3.

Collinsville 8, St. Charles North 3: St. Charles North dropped its long delayed season opener to Collinsville 8-3 Thursday night.

For the North Stars it was a case of two bad innings spelling doom.

Collinsville jumped on starter Brian de la Torriente for four runs in the first inning with the key blow being a 2-run triple by catcher Derek Mattea. After that, de la Torriente settled down to shut out the Kahoks for the next three innings, but the damage was done.

The North Stars got back into the game in the top of the fifth with two runs. Richardson reached on an infield single and Jake Thornton followed with a long RBI triple over the center fielder's head. de la Torriente followed with an RBI single and Brandon Nothnagel drew a walk. However, the North rally was snuffed out as Collinsville center fielder Kevin Hodge made a running catch on Borst's line drive.

Mike Mastalski came on in relief to start the fifth. Collinsville again put up four runs on three doubles and an error to seal the victory.

Leading hitters for North were Thornton with 2 hits, 2 walks and an RBI, Sam Weinberg with 2 hits and a stolen base and Danny Jimenez with 2 hits and a stolen base.