After a tough non conference loss to Evanston, the Scouts looked to get back on the right track against Zion- Benton on Monday and Tuesday. Senior Ryan Cassidy started on the mound on Monday, and he set the tone from the get go.

Cassidy was flawless going into the fifth inning, with eight strikeouts, no hits, walks, hit by pitches, or errors. He struck out the first batter of the inning, and then the fatigue set in. Cassidy walked a couple of guys, and after a controversial call, let up his first hit of the game. After the inning the score was 11-4, and both teams went three up and three down in the 6th to give the scouts the win. 

Senior Davis Gramza was scheduled to start the Tuesday game, but after contact tracing he had to be scratched and Senior Zach Porter would start instead. After a leadoff walk and then an error, the Zee-Bees took a quick 1-0 lead, but Porter would throw it in cruise control after that. 

Porter finished the game with 10 strikeouts, 2 walks and 0 hits. After Cassidy set the tone the day before, Porter kept the intensity high and shut the Zee-Bees down on the way to an 11-1 victory in 5 innings. 

“I was commanding both my slider and fastball,” Porter said. “I was keeping hitters guessing the whole game.”

Not only was Porter in control, but the tt was a good day for the offense as well, as senior Rocco Royer, freshman Tommie Aberle and Cassidy all went 2 for 2, with 2 RBIs for Cassidy and 1 for Aberle. After struggling at the plate on Monday, senior Ian Dillow almost hit a homerun as he 1-hopped the fence for a triple. 

“It was great to see them get back on track,” said senior Charlie Valentincic. “Watching Zach work was a thing of beauty.” 

The Scouts are back in action on Thursday as they take on Notre Dame away at 4:45 p.m.