The Benton Tigers defeated the Bossier Bearkats 16-1 in a season and District 1-4A opener Tuesday at Bossier’s field at Rusheon Middle School.
Benton heads into the season looking for its sixth straight District 1-4A championship.
Garrett Hable, a first-team All-Parish selection last season, led Benton at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles.
Eighteen Tigers made plate appearances. Pitchers Brock Van Hoy, Brent Herren, Dane Stearns, Clint Lasiter and Sam Simmons combined on a five-inning no-hitter.
Cole Horton, the District 1-4A co-MVP last season, had two hits, including a home run, and three RBI.
Cameron Ross went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Lasiter went 2-for-3 with a double.
Turner Toms had a double and two RBI. J.T. Brice drove in two runs. Cody Norris also had a double.
Coleman Beeson took the loss for Bossier, which trailed 4-1 after two innings. Benton put the game away with nine runs in the third.
The Nathan George Memorial Tournament hosted by Parkway is scheduled to start Thursday and run through Saturday, but rain could play havoc with the schedule. According to weather.com as of early Wednesday afternoon, there is a 90 percent chance of rain Thursday, 60 percent Friday and 100 percent Saturday.
Here is the schedule.
Thursday
At Parkway
Benton vs. Parkway, 6
Friday
At Benton
Evangel vs. Benton, 4
Cedar Creek vs. Evangel, 7
At Parkway
Spring Hill, Texas vs. Parkway, 6
Saturday
At Benton
Many vs. Benton, 1
At Evangel
Spring Hill vs. Evangel, 1
At Parkway
Spring Hill vs. Cedar Creek, 10
Cedar Creek vs. Parkway, 1
Many vs. Parkway, 4
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
— Featured photo of Benton’s Cole Horton by Robert Summerlin/Special to The Press-Tribune
Im a Bossier High School Mom!! We held them 4-1 for the first 2 complete innings!! Yes our boys don’t have the skills of the well trained Benton travel Ball all their life players do but I think it was a decent Game for a couple inning and I feel like we have a great team this year and hope to be in the top of the standings for district as well!! And if not oh well its baseball and it was fun!!