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Sports Report

 
Cubs split two, win at home
By Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor
   Regional –
A victory over Worthington opened the home schedule for the Monticello Cubs semi-pro baseball team last week.

    The Cubs (2-5) scored a 7-3 victory over Worthington Friday, May 23, collecting 13 hits.

    The key to the game was a five-run third inning, which erased Worthington’s early 3-0 advantage. A three-run homer by Nick Miller capped the rally, which also included RBI singles by Dale Sperfslage and Garett Hanken. Miller finished 4-for-5, and also had two doubles. Bryan Benischek was 2-for-5.

    Sperfslage was the winning pitcher, working eight innings and allowing six hits while striking out eight. Mike Wennekamp pitched the ninth inning.

    “It was good to get a win at home,” Cubs player-coach Hanken said. “I thought we lost focus defensively a couple of times when we could have put the game away.

    “We did a good job of keeping offensive pressure on them throughout the game. Nick Miller hit the cover off the ball; he just missed the cycle. Dale threw eight strong innings, and Mike did a good job of closing it out.”

    Earlier, the Cubs lost 6-3 at Key West (Peosta) on May 20. Key West rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring six total runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

    Mitch Monk pitched six innings and allowed no earned runs while fanning six. Miller and Benischek each had two hits; Miller had a double.

    “We were a couple breaks away from winning the game,” Hanken said. “Mitch kept us in it, and we didn’t capitalize on opportunities.”


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