Sports digest
Sports Digest: East names Benzinger as girls coach
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Benzinger approved as East coach
LIBERTY TWP. — Two years ago, Todd Benzinger was picked to turn around a struggling girls basketball program at Loveland High School.
Extras
Now he's been asked to do the same at Lakota East.
Benzinger, 45, was approved at Monday's, May 12, school board meeting to replace Dave Honhart, who resigned in March after compiling a 17-89 record in five years.
"I'm excited," Benzinger said. "I'm looking forward to it. It will be a challenge. I know Dave worked really hard for five years and never could get things off the ground. I'm hoping to work just as hard and have success on the floor eventually."
Benzinger — whose contract was not renewed at Loveland after two seasons — was 30-12 at the Fort Ancient Valley Conference Buckeye Division school, including a 17-4 mark this past season. The season before he arrived at Loveland, the Tigers were 5-16.
"Experience, proven winner, program builder," East athletic director Jim Rouff said of Benzinger. "He turned around Loveland, and he had a tremendous track record at Seven Hills."
Benzinger also spent seven years as the head coach at Seven Hills, where he was 122-47 with five sectional championships and two district titles at the Division IV level.
Harriers bounce OSU Lima in tourney
HAMILTON — The Miami University Hamilton baseball team erased a 3-2 deficit with eight runs in the fifth inning Tuesday, May 13, and defeated Ohio State Lima 10-5 in the Ohio Regional Campus Conference tournament at Foundation Field.
Jason Gray (three hits, two RBIs), Curtis Blank (three hits, two doubles, two runs, RBI) and Matt Mays (two hits, two RBIs) led the Harriers, who improved to 33-10. Hobie Bolton was the winning pitcher, and Kevin Collett earned the save.
MUH advances to the winners' bracket final Friday in Chillicothe. The Harriers will meet either Miami Middletown or Cincinnati Clermont.
Sycamores outslug RedHawks
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Miami University baseball team fell to 17-33 on Tuesday, May 13, with a 17-12 loss at Indiana State.
Josh Hula homered, singled and drove in four runs for the RedHawks, who banged out 20 hits. J.D. Mynhier also homered, singled and scored three runs.
Brian Jett, a Badin High School graduate, drove in two runs for the Sycamores (15-32).
MU hosts Kent State on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Trenton's Jones second in Kentucky
SPARTA, Ky. — Trenton's Rob Jones finished second in the Lincoln Welders 100 truck race Saturday, May 10, at Kentucky Speedway.
Jones led the first 59 laps in his R&B Contractors Chevrolet, but brake problems forced him up high on the track to allow eventual winner Paul Hahn of Canton, Mich., to pass underneath for the lead.
"I'm disappointed we didn't win it, but I'm still real glad we finished second," Jones said. "Our right-front was completely worn out. I lost my brakes halfway in. I'm worn out. I was very glad to see the checkered flag. We were actually lucky to finish second. I'd like to congratulate Paul; he raced me clean all the way."
Hamilton's Kenny Kirsch Jr. finished 12th overall, two laps off the pace.
The next race for the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series will be Saturday, May 17, when they'll race the Champion Credit Union 50 at Toledo.
— Staff Reports
