Texas A&M - Kingsville Athletics

2015 (Sr.): All-Lone Star Conference first team starter as ace of Javelina staff… made 15 appearances, starting 13, collecting 81 strikeouts in 80.0 innings of work… finished season 7-4 with 3.94 ERA… no-decision in season debut versus No. 10 Southern Arkansas (Feb. 7), going 7.1 innings and striking out six… first win of season came in six-strikeout performance versus Texas College (Feb. 20)… followed with a win in 5.0 innings of work in LSC opener versus No. 25/27 West Texas A&M (Feb. 27)… struck out nine in 7.0 innings at Cameron (March 7) and followed with career-high 12 strikeouts in 8.1 innings in win against Eastern New Mexico (March 14)… performance earned right-hander LSC Pitcher of the Week nod… followed with 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings, punching out 15 in wins over No. 6/13 Angelo State (March 22) and Tarleton State (March 27)… seven innings of one-run ball in victory over Cameron (April 10)… struck out five in 6.0 innings in regular season finale win over Tarleton State (May 2) to clinch the LSC Championship for the Javelinas… tossed four consecutive quality starts (March 7-27) and during that span (29.1 innings), allowed just three runs while punching out 37.
 
2014 (Jr.): Posted a 4-2 record in 13 appearances… started seven games on the bump… totaled 37.2 innings and a 3.82 ERA… did not allow a home run… struck out 28 hitters… threw a scoreless inning or more four times… struck out one in season debut (Feb. 1)… began season with 2.1 innings of one-hit ball… struck out five in first career start (March 18 versus St. Edward’s)… followed with career-high game, punching out eight in 6.2 innings, earning his first collegiate win over Texas A&M International (March 25)… struck out three and allowed just one run in 5.0 innings versus St. Mary’s (April 1) to pick up his second win… improved to 3-1 after 6.0 innings of one-run ball against Hilltoppers (April 22)… came out of the pen, providing 3.1 scoreless innings versus Tarleton State (May 3) to notch fourth win… lowered ERA from 6.75 to 1.85 between Feb. 28-May 8, giving up just five runs in 31.1 innings during the near three-month span.
 
2013 (So.): Made nine appearances on the hill, throwing 9.1 innings… struck out three in season debut (Feb. 16)… scoreless inning of work against Oklahoma Christian and Lone Star Conference foe Angelo State (March 15)… fanned 10 hitters as a sophomore.

2012 (Fr.): Appeared in six games as a reliever, going 0-1 with eight strikeouts… two scoreless performances, including 3.0 innings of in 2-1 win over Texas-Brownsville (March 20)… struck out two in first collegiate outing, throwing a scoreless inning against Houston-Victoria (Feb. 10).
 
High School: Played prep ball at New Braunfels High School… two-time first team all-district pitcher… led team to a pair of playoff appearances.
 
Personal: Son of Rudy and Nora Benitez… majoring in kinesiology and minoring in health.