Cardinals stung by Hornets in sectionals

Benton baseball’s quest for a second straight trip to the Class 4 quarterfinals was spoiled on Monday against an MEC foe it had become quite familiar with over the course of the season.

The Cardinals met Chillicothe for the fourth time in 2025 in the Class 4 sectional round Tuesday night out at Missouri Western, and lost 5-3 after struggling to get runs on the board early.

Even with Cardinals ace Chris Coy on the mound, Chillicothe landed a series of punches in the top of the first inning, bringing three runs across home plate on three RBIs.

A spectacular jumping grab on a line drive by freshman Porter McCarthy got the Cardinal defense off the field in the first to stop the bleeding.

However, the Cardinals would have a difficult time putting runs on the board in the early going. Benton wouldn’t see its first run come across home plate until the fifth inning, and runs would be scarce from there. 

While the Cardinals would manage to tighten up their defense and not let the horrors of the first inning haunt them, Chillicothe was able to do just enough scoring in the end while keeping the Cardinals at bay. 

Following the loss, Benton’s season ended with an overall record of 24-13, its second season in a row with 20 or more wins. For Chillicothe, the Hornets will move on to the state quarterfinals to play Pleasant Hill this Thursday.