Benicia High’s varsity baseball team snapped a three-game losing streak by out-muscling host Rodriguez on Monday, 8-7.

The eight runs were a season high for the Panthers (3-3), who scored a total of five runs during the three-game losing skid. Benicia scored five times in the second inning alone and took the lead for good with three more runs in the top of the sixth.

“It wasn’t easy or pretty, but in the end we found a way to get it done,” said Benicia manager Jim Bowles. “It was nice to finish one off. We’re a young team that needs to learn how to win these types of games, and this was a step in the right direction.”

The Panthers got off to a great start with their biggest inning of the season. Michael Cosmides led off the top of the second with a single and teammates Frank Tom and Alex Osterholt each walked with one out to load the bases. Kyle Sinclair drew a walk to force in Cosmides, and Caleb Van Blake followed with a two-run double to make it 3-0. Jason Toumbs made it 5-0 with a two-run double of his own.

But the Mustangs (2-2-1) came roaring back with six unanswered runs to take the lead. Rodriguez scored four times in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI triple by Matthew Lanza, an RBI single by Andruw Shaw and a two-run single by Davis Delorefice. A Benicia infield error led to an unearned run that tied the game in the third inning, and Miguel San Antonio doubled to lead off the fifth and scored on a Cory Peacock infield single to put Rodriguez in front.

Then it was Benicia’s turn to battle back. Osterholt walked with one out in the sixth and Sinclair reached safely on an error. Van Blake followed with a two-run triple to center and Toumbs added an RBI single to give the Panthers an 8-6 lead.

Lanza led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple and later scored on a Peacock sacrifice fly to make it 8-7, but Benicia reliever Cole Eigenhuis shut the door to earn his first save of the season.

“Even when we fell behind, we stayed confident and kept fighting,” Bowles said.

Evan Phillips allowed one run in two innings of relief and picked up the victory for the Panthers. Niko Leon Guerrero started and pitched four innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs.

Van Blake ended up going 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Toumbs added three RBIs while Osterholt and Sinclair each scored twice.

Benicia doesn’t officially play again until the Solano County Athletic Conference season opener March 18 at home against the Bethel Jaguars. The Panthers will conduct an intrasquad World Series this week culminating in a championship game Friday.

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