By Marisa Dawson
Bennington High School baseball coach Collin McClain and his Badgers powered through a grueling early-season stretch of seven games in nine days, emerging with an impressive 6-1 record and plenty of momentum heading into the rest of the spring schedule.
Following the March 19 game against Lincoln Northwest, the Badgers hit the road, taking a dominant 16-3 victory over Crete. Bennington exploded for 17 hits, including a massive 12-run seventh inning, while limiting Crete to just five hits. Pitchers Brody Lichty and Connor Smith combined for strong outings, and several Badgers contributed at the plate, with Charlie Swoboda and Brendon Da Luz each collecting three hits.
The following day, March 21, Bennington showed its resilience in a tense pitchers’ duel against Mount Michael Benedictine. The game remained scoreless through nine innings before the Badgers pushed across an unearned run in the 10th to secure a 1-0 extra-inning victory. Pitchers Brandt Schmidt, Wyatt Nordmeyer, and Max Swoboda delivered a combined shutout effort, striking out 16 while scattering just four hits.
Bennington kept rolling on March 23 with a 12-3 win over Nebraska City. The offense erupted for 10 hits and put up six runs in the fifth inning alone. Brayden Kloster went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the charge, while Dominic Driggs and Dominic Mendicino handled the pitching duties effectively.
The streak continued March 24 at Blair, where Connor Smith tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out six and allowing just five hits in a 4-0 victory. Bennington scored twice in the sixth and twice more in the seventh to pull away, with Myles Gifford and Kellen Minarik each collecting two hits.
The week continued on March 26 with a tough, narrow 2-3 loss to a strong Standing Bear team that returned all its starters from the previous season. Bennington managed just four hits but stayed competitive until the final inning. Myles Gifford, Colby Dean, and Kellen Minarik drove in the runs, while Brody Lichty and Brandt Schmidt turned in solid pitching performances.
Bennington concluded the week on March 28 with a convincing 13-2 victory over Concordia/Brownell/Omaha Christian Academy in a non-conference game in Omaha. The Badgers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings and broke the game open with a six-run fifth inning, followed by three more runs in the sixth to secure the win in six innings. Bennington pounded out 11 hits, highlighted by multi-hit performances from Myles Gifford (2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs), Brendon Da Luz (2-for-4 with a double and an RBI), and Kellen Mlnarik (2-for-4 with an RBI). Wyatt Nordmeyer started on the mound and worked four innings, while the bullpen helped limit the hosts to just two hits. The win improved Bennington to 6-1 overall as the team wrapped up a demanding early-season stretch.
Coach McClain commented on the fast-paced schedule and team performance. McClain credited the team’s veteran leadership for the quick adjustment to the demanding schedule. “Spring baseball is a fast and furious season,” he said. “We have a lot of upperclassmen who have been through it before, so they understand that once it starts, you have to be ready every night.”
Reflecting on the 6-1 start, McClain remained measured but optimistic. “We’ve had a solid start to the season, but we know there are still things to clean up. We have several new starters who are still learning to play together, but overall we feel good about where we’re at and expect to keep improving.”
After the close loss to Standing Bear, McClain emphasized the team’s approach to adversity. “Standing Bear is a solid team. We knew going in that it would be a challenge… Every person or team faces adversity at some point. We are just staying focused on the process of getting better, and handling adversity head on.”
On the field, McClain highlighted the strong start from the pitching staff. “Our pitching has had a great start to the season. They are going to keep us in a lot of games.” He noted that the offense is still searching for consistency but expressed confidence in the experienced hitters.
“Offensively we are still trying to find our rhythm a little bit, but we have guys who’ve played a lot of baseball. I have a lot of confidence in the guys we put out there, and believe they will find their groove.”
Looking ahead, McClain said the team will continue emphasizing the basics as they prepare for more games on the road. “We are going to keep working on fundamentals. Good teams do the little things right at a high level.”
The Badgers now sit at 6-1 overall after navigating one of the busiest stretches of their young season. With experienced upperclassmen providing stability and a pitching staff stepping up early, Bennington appears well-positioned to build on its strong opening week as it hits the road again.
