The Chillicothe Hornets baseball team took on Benton in the Class 4 District 16 championship from Missouri Western in St. Joseph on Thursday night. Chillicothe entered at 20-9 as the 2 seed while top seeded Benton was 22-13. The two teams split the regular season series.
Chillicothe scored early in the game, when Noah Rinehart batted Hubby Ralls home from third base to open the scoring. Rinehart drew the start on the mound and held Benton scoreless in the first inning, but in the 2nd, Benton got going with back to back singles. With two runners in scoring position, Titan Helfrey hit a single into left field, scoring one. Later in the inning Porter McCarthy’s RBI gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
In the third inning, Chillicothe loaded the bases with no outs when the Benton defense came up with a triple play. The Cardinals fielded a line drive at 2nd base, then quickly got the ball to first and 2nd base for a pair of force outs, stunning the Hornets who looked primed for a big inning. After Carson Coy doubled in the third, Cy Polley’s single scored Coy to make it 3-1 Benton.
In the bottom of the 5th Benton pushed the lead out out even more thanks to the two RBI single from Boston Cook. Entering the 6th inning Chillicothe trailed 6-1. The Cardinals starting pitcher, Zaidyn Woodward began waning on the mound. Woodward walked three of the first four batters, and Chillicothe took advantage as Jack Marshall scored on a wild pitch from Woodward. Carson Coy entered in relief and found a strikeout to get out of the jam.
Dane Ireland pitched the 6th inning for Chillicothe and prevented Benton from adding to their lead, however the Hornets were unable to conjure up a rally in the 7th and the Hornets fell in the district final 6-2.
Chillicothe’s season comes to an end at 20-10 with a conference championship. Benton will play Excelsior Springs in the state sectional round.