Lights out: JT Benitez, Bishop baseball offense shut down Tuloso-Midway and force 3rd game

JT Benitez and the Bishop bats made sure Tuloso-Midway was not going to have any late-inning heroics on Friday.

One night after the Warriors ended Game 1 with a walk-off home run, the Badgers freshman right-handed hurler kept the Warriors handcuffed for most of the night and the Bishop offense came to life in a 5-0 Game 2 victory and forced a decisive third game on Saturday.

Benitez was consistent through the night, throwing strikes and not allowing a walk and the Warriors had one runner reach scoring position over seven innings. And Benitez did it with an efficient 75 pitches, leaving a few for Saturday's Game 3. And, for one more week, the Badgers are showing they are not a typical fourth-place team.

High School BaseballRound 3: Top performers, recap of high school baseball regional quarterfinals

High School BaseballWalk off! Josh Garcia's home run pushes Tuloso-Midway past Bishop to open series

High School Baseball2024 Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend high school baseball playoff scores, schedule

Badgers offense opportunistic

The Badgers plated single runs in the second and third innings, but broke the game open with three runs in the fourth, including a two-run double by Jalen Arriaga that was followed by an RBI double by Gabe Garcia.

The Badgers finished the night with nine hits, including five in the three-run fourth inning. That run production was more than enough for Benitez.

Benitez's gem

One night after catching, Benitez retired the first 11 batters he faced, and didn't allow a hit until the fourth, which was a single by Max Lara followed by a second one by Jaden Smith. But both were stranded, and that summed up the night for the Warriors offense.

Benitez allowed four hits with five strikeouts, no walks and threw first-pitch strikes to at least 17 of the 24 batters he faced. And this performance came a week after throwing a two-hit shutout to keep the Badgers season alive against Pleasanton in the area round.

The two District 31-4A rivals will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cabaniss Baseball Field and the winner will take on El Campo or Boerne in the regional semifinals.