Benoit Comes up Big in Win Over Rival Hoosac
NORTH ADAMS -- With rainouts and postponements left and right, it's been nearly two weeks since Tyler Benoit has started a game for the Drury baseball team. On Friday, the senior captain showed plenty of rest and no rust in a dominating pitching performance that lifted the Blue Devils to a 6-2 win over rival Hoosac Valley at Joe Wolfe Field.Benoit allowed just one earned run on three hits, striking out 12 batters with four walks to win his first game of the 2011 season. In two starts this year, Benoit has recorded a remarkable 24 strikeouts compared to just five walks.
 Tyler Benoit - Click Here for more photos! |
The Drury offense scored one run in the first inning and three more in the second to give Benoit a 4-1 lead out of the gate. The Devils' defense also played a part in the win, committing only one error on a day in which head coach Al Marceau said his team "played their most complete game of the season."
"It was a good team effort on our part," Marceau said. "Our defense played well and made plays when we needed to. Tyler pitched a heck of a game. He was in control from the start. He did an extremely good job of keeping hitters off balance. The offense did a nice job of driving up the pitch count, but we still can capitalize more often when given the opportunities. We had a better mental focus today, but it's still early with a lot of baseball to play."
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Hoosac (3-2) tied the score in the top of the second on junior Slayter Aubin's RBI double to the outfield wall. Drury (2-2) answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, however, scoring three runs on a couple of walks, an infield single and RBI singles from Benoit and fellow captain Chase Preite, who led the Devils' offensive effort by going 3 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Leadoff hitter Peter Dassati also hit well for Drury, going 2 for 4 with one run scored.
Junior Mike Koperniak took the loss for the Hurricanes, giving up four runs on just two hits and walking three through the first two innnings. Junior Connor Tworig pitched well with three innings of scoreless relief, but the Blue Devils put the game away by scoring two more runs off Zac Brassard, who took over the mound at the top of the sixth frame.
Both teams are back in action on Saturday, with Hoosac playing at Taconic at 1 p.m., while Drury travels to Wahconah for an 11 a.m. start.