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Dec 13, 2023

Benson baseball tops Tombstone 4

Benson senior Gilberto Loya delivers a pitch against Round Valley on March 29

Benson senior Gilberto Loya delivers a pitch against Round Valley on March 29

The Benson Bobcats baseball team posted victories over the Morenci Wildcats, 8-2; the Round Valley Elks, 5-4; and the Tombstone Yellow Jackets 4-2.

The Bobcats hosted the Yellow Jackets in a 2A East Region game on Friday, March 31.

It took four innings for either team to score, with the Yellow Jackets adding one by sophomore DJ Elias in the top of the inning and the Bobcats two, one each by sophomore Dawson Judd and senior Angel Rigney.

The Bobcats were the next to score, scoresing twice in the bottom of the sixth, one each by freshman Kellen Deskins and Rigney, to put Benson up 4-2. The final run of the game came the top of the seventh by Tombstone junior Gabe Garcia.

"We only had one error in this game and eight the first time we played them; the errors are the big difference," Benson coach Fred Trujillo said. "This game we played better defense, and we pitched well; our pitching made the difference in the game. Tombstone is a good hitting ball club; they are a good team with good coaching."

Bobcats senior Ryan Dunivan pitdched 6⅓ innings and allowed two runs and six hits with six strike outs and one walk. Rigney pitched two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout.

The Bobcats’ Rigney was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, junior Dalton Crockett was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and junior Aiden Bowling was 1-for-3.

Tombstone pitcher Elias recorded nine strikeouts and walked two of the 25 batters he faced.

Tombstone's Elias was 2-for-3 with a run scored, junior Miles McCain was 2-for-3 and senior Cesar Canez 2-for-3 with one RBI.

"They executed, they put the ball into play, and we didn't — that's the difference in the game," Tombstone coach Jamie Milligan said. "My hat's off to Benson and their coaches; they have a young team; they are well coached, and it shows — I have a lot of respect for those guys."

Benson hosted the Round Valley Elks of the 2A North Region on Wednesday, March 29. The Bobcats scored first in the bottom of the second after a single by Deskins plated senior Gilberto Loya.

Round Valley went ahead in the top of the third 3-1 but Benson reduced their lead to one after a pop fly to center field by Crockett scored Rigney. Two plays later, Crockett would score on an error by the Elks third baseman, tying the game at 3-3.

In the fourth inning, Benson held the Elks while scoring another run on a steal by Loya, putting the score at 4-3 in favor of the Bobcats.

Round Valley tied the game at 4-4 in the sixth, but Benson scored its final run when Deskins came home after a passed ball.

"We played our normal game, but we kept our errors down, which is good," Benson coach Fred Trujillo said. "We put the ball in play, we had some key hits, and we pitched well."

Pitching for the Bobcats were sophomore Case Williams, who went two innings and allowed two runs and three hits, walking one; Loya, three innings, two runs, two hits and one strikeout and two walks; and Rigney, two innings with four strikeouts.

The Bobcats’ Deskins was 2-for-4 with a double, one run scored and an RBI, Judd 1-for-4, Rigney 2-for-for with a run scored, Fernandez 1-for-4, freshman Matthew Evans 1-for-2 and Loya 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Bobcats, 9-9-1 overall counting the tournaments, 7-1 in conference, 6-1 in region, remain on top of the 2A East and are ranked No, 4 in the 2A. They will be in Bisbee for a region game on Tuesday, April 4. The Bobcats will host a region game against the Tucson Santa Rita Eagles on Thursday, April 6.

Tombstone, ranked eighth in 2A, is 10-7 overall counting tournaments, 4-4 in conference and region. The Yellow Jackets are off until Friday, April 7, when they host Willcox.

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