Last season was a bit of a down year for Beecher, posting the first sub-.500 season for the program since 2003.

Last season’s juniors and sophomores spent that season gaining valuable varsity experience despite a senior-heavy roster, and now that this group has taken over as the team’s upperclassmen, they’ve helped bring Beecher baseball back to its winning ways.

The Bobcats (19-8, 9-3 River Valley Conference) picked up a 13-5 win over host Momence (4-14, 3-8) in Thursday’s RVC finale, winning for the 13th time in the last 14 games and securing second place in the conference standings.

Junior Santino Imhof, part of an experienced seven-player junior class, went 3 for 4 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs Thursday.

With three more games in the regular season ahead of the Class 2A Manteno Regional starting May 28, he said the team has its sights set on continuing this hot stretch of play for as long as they can.

“It feels good, and we’re definitely not done yet,” he said. “We’ve got a lot more to do. It’s a young group of guys, and there’s big energy. It’s fresh, and it feels good winning. ...

“We’re trying to pull one out for Beecher and put a plaque on the wall.”

Imhof hit an RBI single in the top of the first that put the Bobcats up 1-0. They then trailed 3-2 entering the fourth, but rallied for seven runs in the inning to take control. Chase Maher capped that rally with a two-run single.

Gavin Van Ness singled home Imhof in the fifth to make it a 10-3 game, and after Momence scored a pair in the bottom of the fifth, Imhof came up with the bases loaded in the sixth and drove in all three runs with a double to all but seal the win.

All of Beecher’s top pitching options from last season are back this year, with a couple newcomers shoring up what has been a deep staff so far. But with Thursday’s game being the Bobcats’ fourth in four days and with bigger goals ahead in the postseason, head coach Brandon DuBois wants to make sure his top arms are healthy and rested down the stretch.

That meant junior Noah Hanson and sophomore Brady Cain were handling the pitching against Momence, with both taking the mound for the first time this season.

Hanson started and battled through two-plus innings. He allowed just one hit, but with five walks and two hit batsmen. With one of each to start the third inning, he was pulled for Cain.

Cain allowed an inherited runner to score, and after a wild pitch with two outs brought another run home, he settled in nicely to finish off the final five innings.

“[Hanson] walked a few guys early on, but he gave us a couple innings, and that’s all we needed from him,” DuBois. “Brady’s an innings guy, and he throws strikes, so we know that he’s always there to come back to. They gave us what we needed do today.”

Momence got two more in the fifth on a single from Jackson Ford, but Cain settled in and retired seven of the final nine batters he faced, allowing one single and having a runner reach on an error.

“For my first varsity innings, I felt like I did pretty well throwing strikes and letting my guys do the job,” he said. “It feels good [to help the team rest the usual pitchers], and it gives us a better chance in regional to save their arms.”

Chase Maher was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs for the Bobcats. Easton Lane was 3 for 6 with a pair of runs, while Hanson was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run.

Momence got two RBIs apiece from Ford and Madison, with Madison finishing 2 for 3 with a walk and Jackson going 1 for 5.

Thursday’s game was the regular-season finale for Momence in the first year under head coach Jeremy Rozhon.

“It’s a disappointing season, obviously, because of our record, but we’re going to keep getting better,” he said. “I feel like we’ve improved in other ways. I feel like our hitting is getting better and our defense is getting better. ...

“The belief is there, and the attitude is better.”