Conference start is strong; Panthers go 3-3 overall
It was a strong start to the season in terms of River Valley Conference games, as the Monticello High School baseball team won three out of four over an eight-day stretch
A pair of non-conference losses were also part of the mix, as the Panthers came away with a 3-3 overall record.
Monticello opened the 2018 campaign with a doubleheader sweep at Camanche May 24, winning by scores of 2-0 and 5-3.
Andrew Mescher pitched a gem in the first game, a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts and just one walk.
“Andrew pitched extremely well, allowing only three baserunners,” Monticello coach Josh Soper said.
Kyle Sperfslage scored the first Panther run on an RBI groundout by Jacob Manternach. Jon Mootz singled home Avery Martensen with the second run. Ryan Manternach batted 2-for-4.
In the second game, a three-run sixth inning pulled the Panthers to a 5-1 lead. A two-run triple by Mescher was the key hit, and Mootz also had an RBI single. Earlier, Tyler Blattner had a pinch hit RBI single to put the Panthers ahead for good.
Ryan Manternach pitched the first four innings to get the win, and Sperfslage worked the last three to pick up a save. Ryan Manternach and Mootz both went 2-for-3.
The Panthers then played host to Dubuque Wahlert May 26, and lost 6-3. Wahlert held a 5-0 lead through five innings. Monticello rallied with an RBI single by Mootz in the sixth inning, and a two-run double by Mescher in the seventh, but fell short. Alex Nealson batted 3-for-3, Mescher was 3-for-4, and Mootz went 2-for-3. Starting pitcher Kegan Arduser took the loss.
“I was really happy with how we competed, and didn’t lie down and quit,” Soper said.
Wilton, currently ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, came to Monticello for a May 29 game, and defeated the Panthers 7-3. Monticello had its chances against Wilton ace Jared Townsend, who has committed to the University of Iowa.
“We got up early, but struggled to add on any runs,” Soper said. “Credit to them for getting some timely hits.”
Monticello took a 3-1 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer by Jacob Manternach, and a run scored by Ryan Manternach on a wild pitch. But the Beavers battled back, scoring two runs in three separate innings. Jacob Manternach had two of the Panthers’ six hits.
The Panthers bounced back with a 10-0, five-inning shutout of Mid-Prairie May 31 in Monticello, as Ryan Manternach fired a two-hitter with six strikeouts. Monticello had 16 hits, including three each by Jacob Manternach (including two doubles and three RBIs), Ryan Manternach and Mescher. Arduser had a triple.
“This was our most complete game of the season thus far,” Soper said. “Ryan pitched extremely well and we had several hits up and down the lineup.”
In a non-conference game at Vinton-Shellsburg June 1, the Panthers fell 8-5. Seven walks and four errors were big factors in the outcome.
Sperfslage had a two-run double, and Jacob Manternach had a two-run single while batting 2-for-3.
May 24
Monticello 2, Camanche 0
(first game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Sperfslage ss 2 1 0 0
Mootz dh 3 0 1 1
Manternach, J. c 2 0 0 1
Manternach, R. 3b 4 0 2 0
Mescher p 4 0 0 0
Arduser lf 3 0 1 0
Martensen 1b 3 1 1 0
Nealson rf 3 0 0 0
Cooper cf 2 0 1 0
Sauser 2b 0 0 0 0
Totals 26 2 6 2
Monticello 100 100 0 – 2 6 0
Camanche 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
2B – Martensen.
SB – Cooper.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mescher (W, 1-0) 7 2 0 0 1 13
Totals 7 2 0 0 1 13
Monticello 5, Camanche 3
(second game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 2 0 0 0
Sperfslage ss 4 1 1 0
Manternach, J. c 4 0 0 0
Manternach, R. p 3 2 2 0
Mescher ss 3 1 1 2
Martensen 1b 3 1 1 0
Mootz dh 3 0 2 2
Arduser lf 3 0 0 0
Nealson rf 2 0 0 0
Blattner ph 1 0 1 1
Jacobs 2b 0 0 0 0
Totals 28 5 8 5
Monticello 010 013 0 – 5 8 2
Camanche 100 000 2 – 3 5 1
3B – Mescher.
2B – Sperfslage, R. Manternach.
SB – Cooper, Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mantrnch,R.(W,1-0) 4 2 1 1 4 3
Sperfslage (S, 1) 3 3 2 0 2 4
Totals 7 5 3 1 6 7
May 26
Dub. Wahlert 6, Monticello 3
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 4 0 1 0
Sperfslage ss 4 1 1 0
Manternach, J. c 3 0 0 0
Manternach, R. 3b 3 1 0 0
Mescher ss 4 0 3 2
Martensen 1b 4 0 0 0
Mootz dh 3 0 2 1
Kraus lf 0 0 0 0
Arduser p 1 0 0 0
Blattner p 2 0 0 0
Nealson rf 3 1 3 0
Totals 31 3 10 3
Dub. Wahlert 110 120 1 – 6 6 1
Monticello 000 001 2 – 3 10 2
2B – Mescher.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Arduser (L, 0-1) 4 2 3 3 3 3
Blattner 3 4 3 2 0 0
Totals 7 6 6 5 3 3
May 29
Wilton 7, Monticello 3
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 4 0 1 0
Sperfslage ss 3 1 1 0
Manternach, J. c 4 1 2 2
Manternach, R. p 3 1 1 0
Mescher p 3 0 1 0
Martensen 1b 3 0 0 0
Mootz dh 3 0 0 0
Arduser lf 3 0 0 0
Nealson rf 2 0 0 0
Blattner ph 0 0 0 0
Jacobs 2b 0 0 0 0
Totals 28 3 6 2
Wilton 120 202 0 – 7 9 1
Monticello 300 000 0 – 3 6 1
HR – J. Manternach.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mescher 2 3 3 3 2 2
Sperfslage (L, 0-1) 5 6 4 3 2 4
Totals 7 9 7 6 4 6
May 31
Monticello 10, Mid-Prairie 0
(five innings)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Mescher ss 4 1 3 0
Sperfslage 2b 3 1 0 0
Manternach, J. c 4 3 3 3
Manternach, R. p 3 2 3 1
Mootz 3b 2 1 1 2
Martensen 1b 4 1 2 0
Blattner dh 4 0 2 2
Arduser lf 2 0 1 1
Cooper cf 3 1 1 0
Nealson rf 0 0 0 0
Sauser cr 0 0 0 0
Totals 29 10 16 10
Mid-Prairie 000 00 – 0 2 2
Monticello 204 04 – 10 16 0
3B – Arduser.
2B – J. Manternach 2, R. Manternach.
SB – Sperfslage, Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mantrnch,R.(W,2-0) 5 2 0 0 1 6
Totals 5 2 0 0 1 6
June 1
Vinton-Shellsburg 8, Monti 5
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Mescher ss 2 0 0 0
Sperfslage 2b 3 0 1 2
Manternach, J. c 3 0 2 2
Manternach, R. p 4 0 2 1
Martensen 1b 4 0 0 0
Arduser p 1 0 0 0
Blattner p 3 0 0 0
Mootz dh 2 2 0 0
Nealson rf 2 2 1 0
Cooper cf 3 1 0 0
Kraus lf 0 0 0 0
Totals 27 5 6 5
Monticello 001 202 0 – 5 6 4
Vinton-Shells. 101 402 x – 8 5 1
2B – Sperfslage, J. Manternach.
SB – Sperfslage, Cooper.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Arduser 2 1/3 1 2 2 5 1
Blattner (L, 0-1) 3 2/3 4 6 0 2 3
Totals 6 5 8 2 7 4