Benton Cardinals Baseball

DISTRICTS - Southsiders open District play with 10-0 blanking in five innings of their City-Rival the Lafayette Fighting Irish in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 16 Semifinals at the MWSU Spring Sports Complex. The Cardinals (22-13) got a gem of a pitching performance from Junior Starting Pitcher Boston Cook (W 4-4, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 7 K and 1-3, 2B and RBI) who yielded just one-hit in the complete game shutout. The Fighting Irish loaded the bases in the fifth thanks to a trio of walks by Cook. However, Cook induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play initiated by Freshman Shortstop Carson Coy (1-1, 2 BB, HBP, SB and 3 R) dashing any hopes of a Lafayette rally. Offensively, Senior Catcher Cy Polley (2-4 and 2 RBI) paced the 238 ers with a pair of their 7 hits. Polley's biggest knock was a walk-off line-drive single to center field ending not only the Irish's season but the rivalry between Benton and Lafayette when Sophomore second-baseman Porter McCarthy (0-3, R, SF and RBI) stepped on home plate sealing a 10-0 run-rule victory for the Birds eliminating the Irish from the district tournament concluding their season and high school baseball history. Cardinals' Sophomore left fielder Xander Tiller (1-3, 3B, BB, R and 2 RBI) had the deepest driving crushing a ball to left-center with his full-speed and athleticism on display, Tiller roared into third with a two-run triple giving Benton a 6-0 lead after two frames. The Cardinals will play in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 16 Championship game on Thursday at Missouri Western. First-pitch is scheduled for 5:30 pm on Thur. May 21st against the defending Class 4 State Champion Chillicothe Hornets.

"Voice of the Cardinals"
Kaleb Huffman

BENTON AND LAFAYETTE ONE-FINAL TIME. FIRST-PITCH 5 PM at Missouri Western. Winner advances to Class 4 District 16 Championship Game on Thur. May 21st. ADMISSION $6 CASH ONLY. NO FREE ENTRY.

Did you know our very own No.27 Xander Tiller has his own Panini Team USA Baseball Card? You can catch Tilly and the rest of the 238 ers at Missouri Western State University in tomorrow's MSHSAA Class 4 District 16 Semifinal against that school from the Northside at 5 pm. You don't want to miss the final-meeting between the Red and Green. ADMISSION IS $6 (Cash Only) for EVERYONE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

VARSITY TEAM STATS
OFFENSE, PITCHING AND DEFENSE

OFFENSE

AVG .312
OBP .433
H 273
HR 15
RBI 212
2B 65
R 261
BB 155
SB 124
SLG. 464
OPS .898

PITCHING

ERA 2.94
WHIP 1.39
K 219
BAA .228

DEFENSE

FPCT .956
PO 621
A 203
DP 19

Every Team needs a K-Whit. He wears the swag and the shades. He eats Wheaties in the morning and manages benches and dugouts by night. K-Whit, is a treasure to the Southside and a friend to all.

ALERT ⚠️

THE FINAL MEETING BETWEEN BENTON AND LAFAYETTE WILL TAKE PLACE ON TUE. MAY 19TH with the first-pitch scheduled for 5 PM AT MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 16 Semifinals. Get your 🍿 Wear Red and Cheer on your "Boys From the South."

REGULAR SEASON PITCHING AND DEFENSE LEADERS ⚾️

IP Boston Cook 37.2
ERA Carson Coy 0.65, Zaidyn Woodward 1.00 and Boston Cook 2.04
W Carson Coy 5
K Carson Coy 45 and Zaidyn Woodward 44
BAA .122 Zaidyn Woodward
WHIP .90 Carson Coy
Starts Boston Cook 7
Appearances Carson Coy 10

Defensive Leaders
FPCT Cy Polley .991
TC Cy Polley 219
Asst Carson Coy 52
PO Cy Polley 194
DP Kendrick Elkins 12

STATE CHAMPION!! Cardinals' Senior Tennis Star Ridge Stagner CAPTURES the Program's first-ever SINGLES Title defeating Greenwood's Han Seo (6-3 and 6-1) in straight sets!! Stagner, is the MSHSAA Class 1 Boys Singles State 🎾🥇

Phot Credit
Tennis Coach Wes Sanger

REGULAR SEASON LEADERS OFFENSE

AVG. Zaidyn Woodward .384
OPS Xander Tiller 1.173
SLG Xander Tiller. 725
HR Xander Tiller 7
RBI Xander Tiller 38
H Zaidyn Woodward 43
2B Zaidyn Woodward 16
3B Porter McCarthy 4
R Porter McCarthy 41
SB Carson Coy 29
BB Carson Coy 23
HBP Carson Coy 11

SAVANNAH - Southsiders fall 8-2 in return trip to Savannah. Sophomore left fielder Xander Tiller (1-3, HR) slugs his team-leading 7th dinger of the season in the fourth-inning a solo blast. Cardinals' (21-13, 7-3 MEC) Sophomore designated hitter Kooper Gresham (1-2, BB, SB and RBI) drove home a run in the 7th but the Cardinals could get no closer in the 8-2 defeat. The 238 ers open Class 4 District 16 play on Tue. May 19th at Missouri Western with the first-pitch scheduled for 5 pm. The Cardinals (1) will face either Lafayette (4) or Maryville (5). Chillicothe (2) and Savannah (3) will battle in the other district semifinal following the conclusion of the first-game.