ZION, Illinois–Coming in on a three game win streak, the Lake Forest Scouts varsity baseball team knew they had a pretty solid chance at extending their streak against a Zion-Benton team that has won only once this season. The trend we’ve seen over the past few games is that the defense has been solid all around, and the offense has done enough to build a solid lead. It was expected that more of the same would happen Monday evening, but no. Instead, the Scouts had something else in store. Lake Forest just kept hitting–and hitting and hitting–like there was no tomorrow. By the end of the game, 18–yes 18–runners had come across the plate for Lake Forest in what ended up being their biggest beat down of the season.

Things really started brewing in the top of the second. With a 1-0 lead already thanks to an RBI double from Andrew Gough, the Scouts began putting things out of reach. After Peter Turelli stole second and third after a single, Griffin Strang drove him in on an RBI groundout. Then, after Colton Pfeifer, JR Naughton, and Caleb Durbin juiced up the bases, Will Davis hit the ball to the Zee-Bee’s pitcher, who failed to get the ball to second base in time, allowing yet another Scouts runner to come home. Still with the bases loaded and one out, this time it was Drew Golde who drove in both Durbin and Naughton, extending the lead to five. Zion-Benton could not stop the bleeding there. Matthew Hill picked up two RBI’s of his own on a single to center field, then two pitches later he crossed home plate thanks to Turelli who tripled to right field. Two innings in the Scouts had 8 runs, and were no longer eying just a win, but also a slaughter.

After starting pitcher Michael Vallone struck out three batters in the bottom half of the second, the Scouts offense got right back to work. After Pfeifer and Naughton reached on an error and a walk respectively, Caleb Durbin picked up his first RBI of the game on sacrifice fly to center field. Two at-bats later, still with only one out, Drew Golde drove in run number 10 on a double to center. As if ten runs weren’t enough, Lake Forest exploded for another big inning in the top half of the third.

The Scouts rally began with Brady Christoph. With one out, he doubled to center field, then moved over to third on a single from Sam Sheffield. After a sacrifice fly increased the Scouts lead to twelve, the Scouts had one of their strongest two out rallies of the season. Luke Nolan, Connor Morrison, Andrew Fluri, and Shane Lynch all singled, which resulted in the Scouts lead increasing to fifteen. By the Scouts had put the game well out of reach, but showed no mercy in the fifth inning.

Inching towards a potential 20-run game, Lake Forest’s bats had six more hits in the top of the 5th. Sheffield started the inning with a single, then with two outs Connor Morrison picked up the team’s 16th run. After his at-bat, both Lochiatto and Fluri followed with RBI singles of their own finishing the inning with an 18 spot.

The Zee-Bees managed to tack on two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but could not avoid the slaughter rule coming into play, as the Lake Forest Scouts varsity baseball team took the game 18-2.

Yes, Zion-Benton’s pitching is far from spectacular, but you have to give credit where credit is due. Scoring 18 runs in a game is tough to do no matter who they play. Nearly every batter that came to the plate picked up at least one hit or one RBI. Although the defense wasn’t the story of the night, Messner and Vallone both had solid outings and only two errors were committed behind them. The Scouts will take on Zion Benton two more times including tonight’s game at West Campus at 4:30. Come support your Lake Forest Scouts as they search for their fifth straight win.