GARNER- It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it's tough to win a ballgame committing five errors. Garner Post 232 learned that the hard way and Benson Banner Post 109 reaped the rewards in securing a 9-6 win over their foes from Garner.

Post 232's defensive miscues led to six unearned runs for Post 109, which proved to be enough to help Benson out-slug their American Legion Area I West rivals.

Joe Henderson earned the win as he gutted out seven innings and left reliever Wesley Godwin a two-run cushion that Godwin protected nicely to secure the save.

Ross Barnett walked the first two batters of the ballgame on nine pitches. This would come back to haunt him as Joe Henderson singled up the middle to plate Andrew Carroll. Preston Major then collected an infield single to help add to the score. Henderson then scored on a successful double steal to stake Post 109 to the early three-run lead.

Post 232 struck back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth as two passed balls, two walks and a hit batter led to two runs knotting the game up at 3 heading into the top of the fifth.

Post 109 (4-11 overall, 3-11 division) took control of the game in the fifth. Stephen Hales sent a shot to left center that trickled all the way to the wall and Carroll scored to push Post 109 out in front for good. A dropped fly ball allowed Hales to score. Jay Cannon stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error. Preston Major and Chris Sanders then collected back-to-back base knocks to give Benson the 7-3 advantage.

Post 232 (13-12, 7-7) never closed the gap to less than two runs. They managed to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but an easy groundball out gave Post 109 a much-needed win.

Benson Post 109 has seen its share of misfortune this season and didn't mind being the beneficiary of some defensive lapses on Garner's part.

"There were a couple calls here or there... I thought, 'Lord here we go again'," said Post 109 coach Earl Stephenson. "The guys, they hung on today though. We're swinging the bats much better. Those we have here want to play and they want to do well."

Preston Major continued his late-season hitting heroics and was the king of the diamond for the night as he collected three hits, three RBIs, three stolen bases and scored two runs to lead the attack for Post 109.

In addition to the handful of errors, Post 232 stranded 11 runners on base.

"We didn't run the bases well and we didn't play defense well," said Post 232 coach Chris Cook. "We're not the type of team that can do that. We just don't score enough runs. You make that many errors, you're not going to win many games."

The game was a make up affair after rain forced the postponement of the contest the previous week with Benson up 6-2 in the fourth inning. Under American Legion Baseball rules, the game had to be restarted.