June 27, 2018 By Chris Varney
Don’t look now but the Benton softball team is coming on quick. The Bobcats knocked off the #1 team in Class 4A on Monday, beating Independence 7-5 in the second game of a doubleheader. Benton really should have won the first game according to Head Coach Eric Stenberg, giving up the game winning run in the 7th inning on a wild pitch.
Benton is currently 21-11 on the season but this is a completely different team from the one that won the state title 2 years ago. For one, there is no dominant pitcher. Amber Fiser was a big reason for the title in 2016 but she is at the University of Minnesota and Stenberg has relied on a combination of Junior Grace Martensen and Freshman Katelyn Buscher. It has been a dilemma for Stenberg this year — does he pitch Martensen but lose her defense at SS. Martensen (2.58 ERA, 69 K’s) has better numbers and more experience than Buscher (3.58 ERA, 41 K’s) but he hates to take Martensen away from the infield. It will be his biggest season in the post-season.
Offensively, Benton has the power like their state winner. Junior Angie Gorkow drove in 7 runs in the DH against Independence and is hitting .524 with 13 HR and 44 RBI. Martensen’s power has been a pleasant surprise this year. After hitting 6 dingers last year and none as a freshman, Grace has 10 HR and 50 RBI while batting .454. Stenberg says she has a nice easy swing and good fundamentals with sneaky quick power. She is not a prototypical home run hitter but she is an incredible athlete after winning 4 state titles in track and field the last two years.
Senior Shelby Hulsebus has been dynamite in the lead off spot, batting a robust .624 with 32 stolen bases. Seniors Jesse Havlik and Makenna Bonewitz are both hitting over .300, Sophomore Megan Gorkow has 3 HR, and Freshman Alyse Harvey is at .317. This Bobcat line-up is deep with hitters that has faced some tough pitching in a tough schedule.
Benton did briefly move into the Class 3A rankings but has slipped out in last week’s polls. Teams with double figure in losses rarely stay in the top 15. However, if you ask any of the teams in Region 6 whether they want to face this team, they probably would say this is the last team they want to play. Eddyville is the favorite in the region, ranked #4 in the polls. Solon is a potential match-up for Benton in the regional semifinals. Benton has had a mixed history in the playoffs, losing as a favorite in the regional finals last year and again in 2014.
This season Benton is an underdog but a scary dog and will sure to be a tough out. No one will be surprised if the Bobcats will make another appearance at the Harlan Rogers Softball Complex in Ft. Dodge in July.
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