Benet baseball concludes its regular-season home schedule against the Amundsen Vikings with both teams on different stretches. The Redwings have won three of their last four while scoring only 14 runs, while the Chicago visitors have lost three of four despite putting up 25 runs during that stretch. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Luke Crowder escapes early jam
The Amundsen bats get after southpaw Luke Crowder early with a double off the bat of Seth Horrow. Crowder gets his groundball, and Benet gets an out on the basepaths with a 6-5 fielder’s choice before the inning-ending backwards K to keep the visitors off the board.
The Redwings respond in turn, getting two men on with a hit batter and a Peter Pignatiello infield single. Max Glimco sends a ball the other way to score Nathan Cerocke the game’s first run, but that’s all Benet can get.
To the third inning, where another Viking double has Crowder in trouble. Amundsen manufactures a run on two wild pitches, tying the game at 1-1.
Redwings take the lead in the third
Benet again has a response, with back-to-back singles from Carson Ebeling and Pignatello before Glimco laces a ball past the third baseman on the first pitch he sees; his second RBI of the day puts the Wings back in front.
Next up, Hawke Lawler sends another ball to the left side, making it a 3-1 ballgame as Pignatello comes home.
From there, Crowder cruises past the Viking offense, retiring the final nine batters he sees with four strikeouts to bring the outing’s total to nine.
Ahead to the bottom of the sixth, still a 3-1 game that is now into the Viking bullpen, and Crowder catches Amundsen napping with a bunt the other way. He adds a stolen base to get into scoring position and scores on a Quinn Driscoll single up the middle.
Benet shuts the door with a strong day on the mound
Luke Creighton is on for the save for Benet and allows the tying run to the plate after a one-out walk and a single from Gorman Sullivan before getting Ian Johnson to roll into a game-ending tailor-made double play turned by Pignatello at short.
Benet, now 18-12, secures the 4-1 win and will return home in the IHSA regional round next week after rounding out the regular season with three road contests against St. Charles East, Assumption, and Moline.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
