Jimmy Benson, standing tall at 6-foot-8, started playing golf about a year and a half ago. Last fall, he tested his skills by joining the high school golf team. Despite his golf game not reaching the level of his baseball pitching talent, Benson embraced the competitive spirit. ‘I’m not great at golf,’ Benson admitted. ‘But I enjoy the competition.’
When Benson takes the mound, his primary focus is straightforward. ‘My goal is to throw a zero,’ he said. ‘I focus on not letting anyone reach base because we are dangerous when our opponents get on base.’
On a Saturday, Benson achieved his goal by pitching a perfect game. He recorded five strikeouts, leading the St. Laurence Vikings to a 5-0 win over Oak Lawn in the Class 4A St. Laurence Regional final held in Burbank. This victory marked another win for Benson, a TCU commit who improved his record to 7-1. It was his second career no-hitter, following his previous standout performance against Mount Carmel in May 2025, where he allowed no runs in 6 2/3 innings. Benson demonstrated precision, throwing strikes on 58 of his 84 pitches against Oak Lawn.
Junior catcher Tristan Steger contributed with a two-run double for the Vikings, who are ranked the top seed with a 35-2 record. They will face fourth-seeded Mount Carmel, holding a 27-10 record, in a Brother Rice Sectional semifinal. Senior infielder Mickey Lotus added a significant RBI bunt and scored the first run by stealing home base, while also making crucial defensive plays in the final inning to secure the perfect game.
Oak Lawn pitchers, junior Hamza Abdelfattah and senior Eli Kulpinski, combined for four strikeouts and allowed only one hit before the Vikings’ four-run surge in the sixth inning.
Benson’s coach, Pete Lotus, praised his star pitcher’s ability. ‘When Benson throws strikes, he’s impressive,’ Lotus said. ‘He excels by maintaining control and keeping hitters unbalanced. Even before he joined the team, we knew he would be successful. Off the field, he’s easygoing, but once he’s on the mound, he’s intense.’
Steger, noticing Benson’s focus, remarked on the confidence felt when Benson pitches. ‘There is always confidence behind the plate with Jimmy on the mound,’ Steger noted. ‘From warm-ups, it was evident it would be a challenging day for the other team.’ Benson’s command was near flawless, reaching three balls only once in any count.
Benson relies on his fastball, which presents different movements, making it difficult for hitters he faces for the first time. ‘Most teams struggle with the movement of my fastball,’ he explained.
Though he played basketball in his youth, Benson’s size and left-handed pitching steered him toward baseball. ‘I have always been tall,’ he shared. ‘A recent video showed me towering over others as a 9-year-old. Around age 12 or 13, I realized my potential, even while pitching at 80 mph.’
Benson capped off an impressive baseball season with an 11-1 record, leading St. Laurence to the Class 3A state championship last year. Celebrating his perfect game, Benson remarked, ‘I came close before but only reached the fifth inning. The main goal was that we won, which is what matters most.’