DU QUOIN BASEBALL: Diamond Tribe Notches 13th Win

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Benton took a first-inning lead at Du Quoin Wednesday afternoon, but got just one hit from that point on in a 7-2 loss to the Indians.

Starter Josh Cushman struck out 11 and Cale Bastien struck out three more Rangers as the visitors could get nothing going.

Kyler Smith led off the game with an infield single, scoring on Tyler Leffler's double for a 1-0 Benton lead.

Mark Uhles then singled home Leffler for a quick 2-0 lead.

The Indians took the lead for good in the second inning, plating three runs. Du Quoin added single runs in the fourth and fifth and a 2-run sixth made the final 7-2.

At one point in the contest, Cushman (4-2) fanned seven consecutive Ranger hitters.

The Rangers picked up just one hit - a Zach LaBuwi single in the sixth - in their final six at-bats as a team.

Smith started on the hill for Benton, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out one.

Ethan Beasley smacked two hits for the Indians with Cushman adding an RBI double and Garrett Hopkins also going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Bastien, J.C. Davis and Brandon George also hit safely with George's hit knocking in the final Du Quoin run.

The Indians are 13-7 and host Waltonville/Sesser-Valier at 4:30 Thursday.

DHS 7, Benton 2

Benton 200 000 0-2 4 0

DHS 030 112 x-7 8 0

Smith, LaBuwi (6) and Uhles. Cushman, Bastien (6) and Jones, Shelton (6). WP-Cushman, 4-2. LP-Smith. SV-Bastien, 2. TOP HITTERS-DHS: Beasley 2-2, Hopkins 2-2 (RBI), Cushman 1-3 (2B, RBI).