Bennington Post 266 Seniors Legion Baseball Team Off to Strong 10-2 Start

3–5 minutes

By Marisa Dawson

A group of baseball players in white uniforms huddle together on a field, celebrating and smiling.

Bennington Post 266 Seniors have burst out of the gate with a 10-2 record this summer, including a perfect mark at home, as the team continues to build momentum following a strong spring season.

The squad has been especially dominant in recent weeks. After splitting a pair of games against Griffs Post 216 teams on May 27-28, Bennington reeled off a string of impressive victories. They edged Millard South 10-9 on May 29 before routing Portal Ridge Thunderbirds Seniors 2 by a 14-3 score that same day. A May 30 home win over RVR Seniors (8-5) was followed by a tough 1-2 loss at Elkhorn North on May 31. The team then caught fire in early June, winning six of its next seven games, including shutout and blowout victories such as a 15-0 win over Bears Post 339 on June 3 and dominant performances against quality 17U and 18U competition.

A baseball player in a blue jersey with the number 12 smiles as he approaches home plate, while a catcher in a black and white striped uniform watches. In the background, teammates in brown uniforms are observing from the dugout.

Standout individual performances have fueled the success. Infielder Connor Smith (pictured above) has paced the offense with a 1.354 OPS, boasting a .590 on-base percentage and .765 slugging percentage. On the mound, right-hander Max Swoboda has been nearly untouchable, tossing 18 innings with a 0.00 ERA. Catcher Noah Langford has anchored the defense with 65 total fielding chances, while pitcher Dominic Mendicino has excelled at getting ahead in counts, throwing first-pitch strikes to 26 of the 43 batters he has faced.

Head coach Collin McClain has been pleased with the group’s competitiveness and adaptability. “The thing that’s been most impressive is the level the guys are competing at,” McClain said. “We came up just short of our goal in the spring of making a state tournament. So the guys did a good job refocusing for the summer.”

A baseball catcher crouches with one arm extended to catch a pitch, while a batter swings their bat, focusing on the game in a baseball field setting.
Kellen Mlnarik

McClain noted the unique challenges of Legion baseball, particularly with a compact 14-player roster. “Legion baseball can be a challenge because there are a lot of games in a short amount of time. We have 14 guys on the roster, so some of them are having to fill in different spots than they did in the spring. It’s fun for all of us because everyone is an integral part of the team. Keeping guys fresh will be a challenge, but they love baseball and competing.”

The coach highlighted several areas of growth. “Our offense is finding ways to get on base right now. Now the goal is to get the big two out hit to drive them in,” he said. He also praised the pitching staff’s ability to manage workloads: “Pitching is always a challenge when you have 5+ games in a week. We need our starters to get deep into games so we can keep guys available, and they’ve done a nice job doing that. Then the relievers have done a nice job coming in and throwing strikes and keeping their pitch counts low enough that they stay available.”

A baseball player prepares to swing a bat at the plate while teammates watch from the dugout in the background.

Versatility has been another key theme. “Guys have had to move around a little more than they did in the spring, but a lot of them have stepped in and done a really nice job,” McClain said. “None of it surprises me because I know the level they can play at. Dominic Driggs [pictured above] has had a fantastic start to summer offensively and defensively. A lot of guys are feeling really confident in their swings right now, and it’s helping us stay in games and compete at a high level.”

The team has shown resilience, particularly in close contests. “I think we have been solid on both sides. Pitching has thrown strikes and forced teams to earn baserunners. Offense has found a way on base, and our baserunning is starting to get better. Guys are more confident trying to take extra bases, and that leads us to scoring more runs. We always talk about how getting into scoring position is the goal,” McClain explained. “We lost 2 games by 1 run to EMC opponents. Whenever we play those teams, we know it’s going to be a battle. The guys competed at a high level, we were just missing the one big hit in each of them. We learn a lot more from losses than you do wins. They teach us what we need to focus on to improve. Our guys do a nice job responding when we get knocked down.”

A baseball player in a blue jersey is diving towards the base, while another player in a striped black and yellow jersey prepares to catch the ball. An umpire watches the play from the foreground.

Looking ahead, McClain remains focused on the process. “Our expectation as a group is always to compete at a high level. Over the course of the season you will win some and lose some, but it doesn’t change our process of continuous improvement,” he said. “Sometimes the outcome can be a distraction. We have had a good start, and I think we will continue to improve over the course of the summer. I’ve been extremely happy with how hard we’ve played and competed. If we keep doing that, good things will continue to happen.”

A young male baseball player in a blue and red uniform is crouched in a fielding position on a baseball diamond, preparing to catch a ball, with another player nearby.
A young baseball player swings a bat during a game, while teammates watch from the dugout. The scene captures the moment of impact as the player makes contact with the ball.
A young baseball player swings at a pitch while playing in a game, with teammates seated in the dugout in the background.
A baseball player in a blue jersey prepares to bat while a catcher in a white uniform crouches behind home plate during a game.
A baseball player in a blue and red uniform swings a bat at a pitch while a catcher crouches behind home plate.
A baseball player in a blue jersey swings a bat at a pitch in a sunny outdoor field, with spectators in the background.
A young baseball player swings a bat during a game, with a catcher and teammates visible in the background.
A baseball player diving to reach a base, kicking up dust, with an umpire observing the play and other players in the background.
A young baseball player in a blue jersey is crouched in an ready position on a baseball field, preparing to field a ground ball.
A young baseball player wearing a blue jersey and white pants is in the midst of pitching on a sunny day. The background features a field with green grass and trees, while a baseball is seen in motion towards the batter.
A baseball player swings at a pitch while a catcher crouches behind him, with teammates visible in the background.
A baseball player in a blue uniform swings at a pitch as a team watches from the dugout in the background.
A baseball player in a blue jersey swings at a pitch, making contact with the ball, while a catcher crouches nearby. In the background, a group of players watches from the dugout.
A baseball player in a blue jersey throws the ball while another player watches nearby on a sunny field.
A young baseball player in a blue jersey fielding a ground ball during a game on a sunny day.
A baseball player in a blue uniform lunges for a ground ball on the field, while another player in a striped uniform runs towards first base.
A baseball game scene featuring a batter preparing to swing, while a catcher crouches behind home plate. An umpire stands nearby, with players in the background.
A baseball player in a blue uniform is fielding a ground ball on the infield grass during a game.
A baseball player in a blue jersey stretches to catch a ball while another player in a black and gold striped jersey races towards the base, illustrating a competitive play at Lynn R. Pruess Field.
A baseball player in a blue jersey swings a bat at a ball on a baseball field, with spectators in the background.
Young child in a baseball uniform holding a bat while walking on a grassy field.
A young baseball player swings a bat at a pitched ball during a game, with teammates in the background watching.
A baseball player in a blue uniform sliding into base, creating a cloud of dust, while another player in a striped shirt prepares to field the ball.
A young baseball player swings a bat at a baseball during a game, while a catcher prepares to receive the pitch.
A young baseball player smiling and catching a baseball during a game on a field, with a blurred background featuring advertisements and trees.
A baseball player in a white jersey, numbered 15, throws a ball while another player stands nearby on the field, with a Hausmann banner in the background.
A baseball pitcher in mid-pitch throwing a baseball on a field.
A youth baseball game scene, featuring three players. One player in a blue cap is sliding into second base, while another player in a red and blue jersey prepares to catch the ball. The scoreboard in the background shows no score.
A baseball player attempting to field a ground ball while another player slides into the base, creating a cloud of dust.
A young baseball player swings a bat to hit a pitch during a game, with teammates watching from the dugout in the background.
A baseball player sliding into home plate while another player attempts to tag him out. In the background, teammates watch the play from the dugout.
A baseball player sliding into home plate, with a catcher attempting to tag him, as the umpire raises his hands to signal a call. Dust is being kicked up from the base.
A baseball player prepares to bat while a catcher crouches behind home plate. Several players are visible in the background watching the game.
A baseball player in a white jersey swings a bat at a ball while a catcher in gear prepares to receive the pitch, with spectators in the background.
A baseball player in a blue helmet swings at a pitch, while a catcher prepares to catch the ball. Teammates are visible in the dugout in the background.
A baseball player in a white jersey with blue accents and the name 'Bennington' running towards home plate, while an umpire in blue and gray observes and a catcher in gear is positioned behind him.
A young baseball player swings at a pitched ball while a catcher prepares to receive it. The scene is set on a grassy field with spectators in the background.
A young baseball player in a white jersey and blue cap stands in the batting stance as a pitch is thrown towards home plate, with a catcher in gear positioned to catch the ball, and teammates watching from the dugout in the background.
A young baseball player in a white jersey with the number 14 swings at a pitch during a game, with a catcher in gear behind him.
A baseball player in a white and blue uniform throws a baseball from the infield during a game.
A young male baseball player in a white jersey and black pants throwing a baseball on an infield during a game.

Discover more from Bennington Buzz

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Trending