Winning streak hits eight before ending

     In a season of steady improvement, Monticello had another strong week of baseball last week, winning three of four games.

     Monticello (9-2 conference, 11-4 overall) ran its winning streak to eight games, with a doubleheader sweep of Northeast and a win over Midland, before falling in a non-conference game to Calamus-Wheatland by a score of 2-1.

     A potential fifth game, at home against Iowa City Regina, was postponed on June 15 due to storms.

     The Panthers had their most impressive performances to date in a home doubleheader against Northeast of Goose Lake June 12. The two teams were tied for second place in the River Valley Conference North Division, two games behind Cascade, and Monticello swept the twinbill to take firm command of second.

     Monticello won the first game 7-4, taking control with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth. Jon Mootz’s two-run single keyed the fourth inning rally, while Kegan Arduser’s two-RBI single capped the fifth inning rally.

     Arduser pitched 5 1/3 innings to get the win, allowing seven hits, and Ryan Manternach finished the game to pick up a save. Ryan Manternach also batted 3-for-3, and Jacob Manternach was 3-for-4 with a double. Gavin Cooper, Kyle Sperfslage and Arduser also doubled in the game.

     “Kegan did a great job slowing the Northeast bats down,” Monticello coach Josh Soper said. “They are an aggressive team, and we had to mix in a lot of offspeed pitches early in counts. Our defense was solid again.

     “It was a solid win against a team that has been ranked this season.”

     Another late-inning rally lifted the Panthers in the second game, as they scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 3-2 deficit in a 6-3 win.

     Andrew Mescher and Alex Kremer hit RBI doubles, and Sperfslage later had a two-run single during the inning.

     Sperfslage pitched five innings, giving up five hits and striking out three. Tyler Hospodarsky pitched the sixth and picked up the win, and Ryan Manternach worked the seventh inning to get his second save in as many games, and his fourth on the season.

     Jacob Manternach, Avery Martensen and Sperfslage had two hits apiece.

     On June 13, the Panthers played host to non-conference opponent Midland. Monticello struck early, with a seven-run second inning, and went on to win 12-5.

     “Midland has a nice team this year, so we knew this would be a good game,” Soper said.

     Ryan Manternach had a two-run double in that second inning, Mescher hit a run-scoring triple, Kremer had an RBI double, and Hospodarsky and Martensen had RBI singles as part of the inning. Hospodarsky later scored on a wild pitch.

     The Panthers used three pitchers, with Mescher working the first four innings and getting the win. Jacob Manternach pitched two innings, and Hospodarsky finished the game.

     Monticello had 10 hits. Ryan Manternach went 2-for-3, including a two-run homer and four total RBIs. Sperfslage, Mescher and Arduser had two hits each. The team had six doubles, from Ryan Manternach, Cooper, Sperfslage, Mescher, Arduser and Kremer.

     “Mescher did a nice job, allowing one run. We hit the ball well up and down the lineup again,” Soper said.

     The Panthers had another non-conference game on Friday, June 16 against Calamus-Wheatland, and were handed a 2-1 defeat.

     “Calamus-Wheatland has a good team this year, and they threw their top two pitchers against us,” Soper said. “We knew we were going to have our hands full.

     “That said, we didn’t play well. We had several missed signs, we didn’t get our bunts down in bunt situations, and we made a couple of costly base-running mistakes.”

     Jacob Manternach provided most of Monticello’s offense. His solo homer in the third inning was the only Panther run, and he had three of the team’s five hits.

     Monticello used three pitchers: Sperfslage, Mescher and Ryan Manternach. Mescher was the hard-luck losing pitcher, allowing just one run on five hits in 3 2/3 innings, while striking out four.

June 12

Monticello 7, Northeast 4

(first game)

MONTICELLO                            AB    R     H     BI

Cooper cf                                      3      0      2      0

Sperfslage 2b                               4      0      1      0

Manternach, J. c                           4      2      3      0

Martensen 1b                               3      1      0      0

Manternach, R. 3b                        3      1      3      1

Mescher ss                                   3      2      1      1

Arduser p                                      2      1      2      2

Mootz dh                                       2      0      1      2

Kremer rf                                       3      0      0      0

Nealson lf                                      0      0      0      0

Totals                                           27     7    13      6

Northeast                    001  020  1   –   4     9     2

Monticello                   000  340  x    –   7   13     1

2B – Cooper, Sperfslage, J. Manternach,

Arduser.

Monticello                   IP          H     R    ER   BB   SO

Arduser (W, 3-1)        5 1/3        7      3      3      2      0                                                                    

Manternach, R. (S,3) 1 2/3        2      1      0      0      2                                                                    

Totals                           7           9      4      3      2      2

Monticello 6, Northeast 3

(second game)

MONTICELLO                            AB    R     H     BI

Cooper cf                                      3      0      1      0

Sperfslage p                                 4      1      2      2

Manternach, J. c                           4      0      2      1

Martensen 1b                               3      0      2      2

Manternach, R. 3b                        3      1      1      0

Mescher ss                                   3      1      1      1

Arduser dh                                    3      0      0      0

Kremer rf                                       3      1      1      1

Hospodarsky 2b                            2      1      1      0

Mootz ph                                       1      1      1      0

Nealson lf                                      0      0      0      0

Totals                                          28      6    10      5

Northeast     020  010  0                –      3      6      2

Monticello     001  014  x               –       6   10      2

2B – J. Manternach 2, Mescher, Kremer.

Monticello                        IP     H     R    ER   BB   SO

Sperfslage                         5      5      3      2      2      3                                                                    

Hospodarsky (W, 1-0)       1      1      0      0      0      0                                                                    

Manternach,R. (S, 4)         1      0      0      0      0     1        

Totals                                7      6      3      2      2      4

June 13

Monticello 12, Midland 5

MONTICELLO                            AB    R     H      BI

Cooper cf                                      5      0      1      0

Sperfslage ss                                4      2      2      0

Manternach, J. c                           2      2      1      1

Martensen 1b                                4      1      1      1

Manternach, R. 3b                        3      3      2      4

Mescher p                                     3      2      2      2

Arduser dh                                    4      1      2      1

Kremer rf                                       4      0      1      1

Hospodarsky 2b                            2      1      1      1

Henderson c                                 0      0      0      0

Nealson lf                                     0      0      0      0

Wall cr                                           0      0      0      0

Lambert cr                                    0      0      0      0

Totals                                          31   12    13     11

Midland        000  131  0              –     5      8      3

Monticello    170  202  x              –    12    13      2

HR – R. Manternach.

2B – Cooper, Sperflage, R. Manternach,

Mescher, Arduser, Kremer.

SB – J. Manternach 2, Sperfslage.

Monticello                  IP      H     R   ER   BB   SO

Mescher (W, 3-1)         4      3      1      0      0      2                                                                    

J. Manternach              2      2      1      1      1      1                                                                    

Hospodarsky                1      3      3      2      1      0                                                                    

Totals                           7      8      5      3      2      3

June 16

Cal-Wheat 2, Monticello 1

MONTICELLO                            AB    R     H     BI

Cooper cf                                      2      0      0      0

Sperfslage 2b                               3      0      0      0

Manternach, J. c                           3      1      3      1

Martensen 1b                               3      0      1      0

Manternach, R. 3b                        3      0      1      0

Mescher ss                                   2      0      0      0

Arduser dh                                    3      0      0      0

Kremer rf                                      2      0      0      0

Hospodarsky 2b                           2      0      0      0

Nealson lf                                     0      0      0      0

Totals                                          23     1      5      1

Cal-Wheat                  010  001  0     –  2      9      0

Monticello                   001  000  0     –  1      5      1

HR – J. Manternach.

Monticello                    IP     H     R    ER   BB   SO

Sperfslage                     2      2      1      0      3      0                                                                    

Arduser (L, 3-2)          3 2/3   5      1      1      3      4                                                                    

Manternach, R.          1 1/3    2      0      0      1      2                                                                    

Totals                            7      9      2      1      7      6