Tropics' Benthal not intimidated in victory over 'The Mafia'

Southeast Tropics' catcher, Trey Benthal (far left), walks to the mound to speak with his pitcher, Kolten Payne, in a recent game at Hillhouse Park in Charleston. Benthal has a pair of extra-base hits in his team's first two games of the Alabama Wood Bat Tournament in Tuscaloosa.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

One would think that the Southeast Tropics baseball squad would be slightly fearful of playing a team called ‘The Mafia,’ but fear doesn’t sit well with Tropics’ veteran player Trey Benthal.

“Trey is an imposing figure,” veteran Tropics manager Dustin Schwartz said. “He’s the biggest guy on the team. He’s the strongest guy on the team.

“The other guys, they fall in line behind him.”

Benthal led the way on Friday with a home run in the Tropics’ 3-0 win over The Mafia on the second day of the Alabama Wood Bat Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Friday’s big hit by Benthal followed a double on Thursday by the Three Rivers College sophomore in a 2-2 tie against the Alabama Outlaws 18U squad in the Tropics’ opening game.

“Trey brings leadership,” Schwartz continued. “He’s a guy who will grab another kid and tell him to concentrate or in whatever he is lacking.”

The Tropics (14-4-1) got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Portageville High School players Aaron Dunlap and Mason Adams combined to bring home a run.

Dunlap drew a lead-off walk and scored on an RBI single by Adams. Both of those guys, along with Tropics’ starter on Friday, Beau-Hunter Warren, and Benthal, came out of the highly successful Portageville High program.

“A lot of that credit goes to (Portageville High baseball coach) Tyler Trover,” Schwartz said. “Those guys, they know how to fight, and they know how to win.”

While the Tropics got just enough offense in Friday’s win, Warren was very effective on the mound.

He threw a complete game (seven innings) and allowed just three hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out five Mafia hitters.

“Beau was great again,” Schwartz said. “He just came out throwing strikes.”

Of Warren’s 65 pitches, 48 went for strikes.

Former Oran High standout Kolten Payne chipped in a hit in the win while Adams (one hit, one RBI), former Jackson High player Dylan Hayman (one double, one run), Luke Umfleet (one RBI, one walk), and Brenden Campbell (one walk) were also productive.

Dunlap added a stolen base.

The Tropics continue in the tournament on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. game.