By Sean Duncan

Tyler Leffler, SS/RHP, Benton HS, Class of 2012
So much for the BBCOR bats affecting the long ball. To open the high school season, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Leffler has homered at least once in each of Benton’s first six games. The Bradley recruit is off to a scorching start for No. 18 Benton.

In the first week of the season, Leffler went 14-for-22 with 7 homers, 2 doubles, 1 triple and 19 RBI. He batted .636 with a 1.773 slugging percentage, 16 runs, 39 total bases and 3 stolen bases. Not enough for you? Leffler also went 2-0 on the mound, which included a two-hit complete-game shutout against Tuscola. In 6.2 innings, he struck out 15 and did not allow a run.

Last Monday, against Eldorado, Leffler went 4-for-5 with 2 homers, a triple, 5 RBI and 4 runs scored. He followed it up on Tuesday with a 3-for-4 effort with a homer, double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored against Salem.

This Monday, Leffler continued his torrid hitting by blasting his eighth homer and finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in Benton’s first loss of the season against Mt. Vernon.

“He’s been tearing it up,” said Benton coach Brett Blondi. “And they’ve been bombs, too. Three of his eight homers have been on 0-2 counts.”

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