Benoit Pitches Pittsfield 14s to Babe Ruth Regional Win
WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Ian Benoit beat the the state of Rhode Island with his arm and his glove on Friday to send the Pittsfield Babe Ruth Baseball 14-year-old All-Stars forward in the winners bracket of the New England Regional tournament.
Benoit was a complete game winner in the 6-2 victory over Cranston, R.I., the champion of the Ocean State.
Pittsfield used an RBI double from Cedric Rose and two hits and an RBI from Joseph Cracolici to set up a date on Saturday night against Maine, a 14-1 winner over Vermont earlier Friday afternoon.
But the big story in Pittsfield's win was Benoit, who allowed just one earned run and four hits, walked no one and did not allow a baserunner after the third inning.
"Huge game," Pittsfield coach Eric Stone. "First-pitch strikes to almost every batter. He was ahead in every count.
"Every pitch was working for him. He can throw the 3-2 curve ball. He can throw fastball, his changeup. Any given pitch, he could throw for a strike today. And if you can do that as a pitcher, you're going to have a good game."
Benoit retired five hitters on come-backers to the mound. Once on a leadoff bunt try in the fourth with the game tied, 2-2, and once on a high chopper that he leapt to grab in the sixth inning.
"He's a shortstop/second baseman," Stone said. "Like tomorrow, he'll play second base because he pitched today. But he'll play second, short and pitcher, so he has great hands."
Cranston, R.I., pitcher Jordan Marot had a pretty good right arm for much of the day on Friday.
He ran into a little trouble in the second, allowing two runs on three hits, but otherwise he held Pittsfield at bay until the later innings.
The second inning was highlighted by an RBI bunt single by Cracolici and a bases-loaded walk by Paul Wales to give Pittsfield, the designated visitor, a 2-0 lead.
Rhode Island came right back in the bottom of the frame, getting a pair of two-out hits from the top of its order and cashing in on Pittsfield's only error of the game to make it 2-2.
It stayed that way unti the top of the sixth, when Pittsfield scored two unearned runs of its own. It started when Carter Matthews was hit by a pitch with two out and nobody on. He stole second and reached third on a passed ball before and Cracolici drew a walk.
Cracolici got into scoring position on a defensive indifference, and Joey Woronick reached on an error that allowed both men to score to make it 4-2.
Pittsfield got insurance runs in the seventh when Justin Bernardo singled with one out and moved up on two wild pitches by Cranston's reliever. Benoit then walked and took second to put two in scoring position for Rose, whose bomb to right center made it a 6-2 game.
Benoit retired the side in the bottom of the seventh on three fly ball outs.
