It may be a windy Saturday morning, but that doesn’t stop the action on the diamond as Benet Academy Baseball travels to Neuqua Valley. The Wildcats return home after a three-game series against Naperville North, while Benet enters the matchup following a two-game set against Joliet Catholic. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Kiet Truong gets on base with a double and scores to give Neuqua a 2-1 lead against Benet
Benet jumps ahead by one early, but in the bottom of the first, Neuqua’s Kiet Truong rips a double to left field. That brings home Mike Langan to tie things up at 1-1.
With Tristan Lakis on the mound and Sam Widloe at the plate, Truong takes off for third. The pitch gets away, and Truong swipes the base—an errant throw allows him to score, giving Neuqua a 2-1 lead.
But Lakis settles in and ends the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the second, Jake Kuehl tries to steal second, but he’s gunned down by Benet catcher Dom Tomala and shortstop Ethan Mendez to end the threat.
Top of the third now—Benet’s Nate Cerocke lifts a pop-up to third, where Langan makes the catch for the out.
Ethan Mendez ties it before Ben Clevenger smacks a two-RBI double for Benet Academy baseball
In the fourth, Ethan Mendez lines a double to center field, bringing home Niko Schaefer to tie the game at 2-2.
Next up is Ben Clevenger, and he delivers with a grounder that skips past shortstop into the outfield. Mendez and Jonny Rossi both score, putting the Redwings up 4-2 with a pair of RBIs.
Lakis stays strong on the mound, striking out Sam Widloe for his second K of the game. Later in the inning, Jake Kuehl grounds out to first to end the fourth.
Josh Gugora adds insurance runs for Bene in the fifth
Benet adds one more in the fifth. Josh Gugora lines a shot to left field, scoring Matt Sullivan and extending the lead to 5-2.
Neuqua tries to respond. Andy Barkley steps up to the plate, but teammate Owen Shannon is picked off at first by Ethan Mendez.
Barkley then hits a liner that drops in center field, keeping the inning alive. However, Langan grounds out to short to end the frame.
In the seventh, Benet’s Luke Stachowiak smacks a double to center, where he’d be left stranded.
Owen Shannon tries to keep Neuqua’s hopes alive, but his grounder to third is fielded cleanly and thrown to first for the final out. Benet Academy baseball takes the 5-2 win against Neuqua
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
