St. Charles East shuts out Neuqua

Wes Benjamin battles every time he steps on the mound.

When someone gets on base, though, his competitiveness leaps to another level.

The St. Charles East junior pitcher escaped multiple jams in Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference baseball game at Neuqua Valley, helping the Saints split a two-game series by posting a 3-0 shutout in Naperville.

Benjamin improved to 4-0 by scattering 7 hits, striking out nine, walking one and hitting a batter. In 28 innings this season he has yet to allow an earned run.

"I made plenty of mistakes, that's for sure, but the defense played great today and found a way to pick me up," Benjamin said. "I've had my share of a few guys getting on base, but when it gets down to it the only stat I care about is adding to our team's win column.

"I can be fine with giving up a few runs," he said. "With our bats and our defense, I don't worry about it."

Nothing crossed the plate for Neuqua Valley (4-3, 1-2) in a tough day at the plate. The Wildcats put at least one runner on base in every inning but couldn't push across a single run.

Benjamin benefitted from double plays in the third and fourth innings. Neuqua Valley stranded two runners in each of the final three innings but Benjamin notched 7 strikeouts in that span to emerge unscathed from every inning.

An error and a hit batter opened the door to start the bottom of the seventh for Neuqua Valley. A two-out infield single should have loaded the bases, but the Saints caught a runner between second and third to collect the game's final out.

Neuqua Valley stranded nine runners and had four more cut down on the basepaths.

"It seemed like every inning we had an opportunity that we didn't convert on," said Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner. "I think we hit the ball harder than they did. This was one of those games where we were snakebit. I was proud of our guys because I felt we battled for the most part in the batter's box."

First-inning doubles by Ryan Sotern and Johnny Erickson opened the scoring for the Saints (8-4, 2-2), who added a second run on Tony Rallo's RBI groundout.

St. Charles East moved ahead 3-0 in the second inning when T.J. Travis doubled home Robert Wendt, who went 2-for-3. Chris Medhurst had a pair of hits for the Wildcats.

"With (Benjamin) on the mound, nothing surprises me anymore," said St. Charles East coach Dave Haskins. "He's been great all year for us."