As he’s continued to get taller on the way to his current 6-foot-8 frame, St. Laurence pitcher Jimmy Benson has struggled to add weight to keep up with that height.
So, lately, the lanky sophomore left-hander has been feasting on more than just opposing hitters.
“It’s been a challenge putting on weight, so I’ve been working on that,” Benson said. “I’ve been eating a lot of food, gaining weight. I’m up 10 pounds.”
The extra meals have helped Benson gain some pop on his fastball. He showed that off Saturday, throwing five strong innings to earn the victory as host St. Laurence rolled to a 12-2 win in six innings over Homewood-Flossmoor in Burbank.
Louisville recruit Cory Les reached base four times, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead St. Laurence (13-3), which won its ninth straight game.
Danny Donovan also homered, while South Suburban College commit Ben Geary added a two-run single, Mickey Lotus went 2-for-2 with four runs and Daniel Coyle chalked up two runs and an RBI.
Mateo Morales finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a run and an RBI for H-F (9-9). Nick Calomino chipped in with an RBI single and Mateo Munoz drew two walks.
Benson (3-0), meanwhile, allowed just one earned run on two hits. He struck out nine and walked three. And in his first season on the varsity, Benson has not been intimidated.
“I’m used to pitching against kids my age, now these kids are two years older,” Benson said. “But I have a lot of confidence. I know I’m better than all of them. I try to be better than all of them.
“I just go out there and do my thing.”
Senior catcher Enrique Villanueva, a South Suburban College recruit, has been impressed with Benson’s poise on the mound.
“The one thing I can say about Jimmy is that he’s really confident out there,” Villanueva said. “You couldn’t tell if he was a sophomore or a senior out there. He’s going to go out there and pound the zone, and that’s all we ask of our pitchers.”
Benson’s faith in himself stems from his many years of experience.
“I’ve always been a pitcher, pretty much just because I’m a lefty,” he said. “That’s gotten me far. I was playing 7U when I was 3 and I’ve just kept going from there.
“I’ve been playing against good competition for a long time. I just know these guys are the exact same, so I just go out and do my best.”
Benson had a no-hitter through four innings Saturday before Morales broke it up with a leadoff single in the fifth. Morales scored on Calomino’s single as H-F loaded the bases with two outs.
Benson, though, got out of the jam with a strikeout.
“The kid check-swung on my fastball and I knew I had him from there,” Benson said of the strikeout. “I just pounded the zone.”
Benson got plenty of run support as St. Laurence scored four times in the first inning and kept rolling from there.
Donovan, a junior outfielder who was batting ninth, provided one of the highlights for the Vikings when he ripped his first career home run over the left field wall as part of a three-run fourth.
Donovan’s teammates dumped ice water over his head after the game.
“It feels even better at home,” Donovan said. “The celebration was great. The water was a little cold, but it feels good that it was for a good reason and we got a win.”
Likewise, Benson keeps winning, earning more trust in the process from St. Laurence coach Pete Lotus.
“As a sophomore, throwing on varsity for the first time, I think his composure has been outstanding,” Lotus said. “We really love what he’s been doing for us. He doesn’t compose himself like a sophomore at all.
“He’s got a great presence out there.”
