Benedictine University baseball coach
Adam Smith won his 400th career game on Sunday afternoon as Benedictine finished off a three-game weekend at Millikin with a winning record after besting the hosts 10-6.
Smith, the second winningest coach in program history, owns 220 career victories at Benedictine since taking over in 2016 and has never logged a losing record in his entire coaching career, which also included an impressive run at Concordia Chicago from 2011-15 during which he won 30 games in every season. The Carthage College graduate directed Benedictine to their first ever NACC Tournament title in 2024, setting a program record for wins on the way to the first regional appearance since 2013.
Benedictine built an early lead in the historic game but needed a late rally to secure the win in what has become a staple under Smith the past few seasons. Benedictine scored three times in the top of the first to set the tone.
Brennan Fisher tallied an RBI single three batters into the game.
Patrick Nelson followed with a sacrifice fly and
Kyle Campbell finished the early flurry with an RBI single. Leadoff man
Zach Fell put down a safety squeeze in the second to make the score 4-0.
Millikin was able to tie the game with four runs in the fifth and grabbed the lead at 6-4 behind two in the sixth. Benedictine scored twice in the eighth to tie the game. Fisher singled with two away to even the score.
George Betevis scored the deciding run on an error in the ninth with one away. Fell added insurance with a sacrifice fly and
Justin Nonnenmann accounted for the final with a two-run single.
Fisher paced a 13-hit attack with a 4-for-6 showing, driving home three.
Frank Magnelli picked up three hits with Campbell adding two.
Austin Pizer made the start and worked five innings, allowing three earned runs.
Steven Byrne earned his second win of the weekend by tallying two scoreless.
Millikin defeated Benedictine 11-3 in the season opener, also played in Decatur, Ill.
Benedictine (8-5) is scheduled to open the home and conference season on Saturday against Concordia Wisconsin in a doubleheader.
