EVAN PHILLIPS pitched six strong innings against Wood on Saturday and earned his fourth win of the season.

Evan Phillips pitched six strong innings and Steve Urias drove in a pair of runs as Benicia High’s varsity baseball team beat visiting Wood, 4-2, in a non-league game last Saturday.

Phillips allowed two runs in the first inning but was masterful after that as Wood had only two base runners over the final four innings. Caleb Van Blake pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn his second save of the season.

Down 2-0 in the second inning, the Panthers (9-6) cut the deficit in half when David King scored on a Riley Pitkin fielder’s choice. Drew Saitz, Jason Toumbs and Justin Badger each singled in the third inning to load the bases, and another fielder’s choice by King brought home the tying run. Urias put Benicia ahead to stay with a big two-out, two-run single.

Phillips and Van Blake combined on a four-hitter and Benicia’s defense committed only two errors against the Wildcats (7-7). Phillips earned his team-leading fourth win of the season and lowered his earned-run average to 1.64.

Wood pitchers Brett Whitney and Berndan Herbert allowed only five hits combined but couldn’t prevent the Panthers from winning for the third time in the past four games.

The Panthers host Rodriguez on Monday afternoon.

Sharing is caring!