A 5-0 week: Four conference victories are included in streak
Avery Martensen slides safely into third base in the Panthers’ June 6 home win over West Branch. (Photos by Pete Temple)
Jacob Manternach of Monticello (right) and a West Branch player check with the umpire after a play at the plate. Manternach was safe.
Alex Kremer makes a catch in rightfield for Monticello June 6.
It was the kind of week a high school baseball team dreams about.
Monticello crammed five games into six days last week – including four River Valley Conference games – and won them all.
“I think we really have improved over the last few games,” Monticello coach Josh Soper said.
The Panthers’ record certainly improved, to 7-2 in River Valley Conference play and 8-3 overall. Monticello is tied with Northeast of Goose Lake for second place in the North Division, both 1½ games behind Cascade (9-1 conference).
Included were a doubleheader sweep at North Cedar June 5, single game wins over West Branch June 6 at home and at Tipton June 8, and a triumph over neighboring rival Anamosa June 10 at home.
The Panthers opened the week with a pair of impressive victories at North Cedar, sweeping the varsity doubleheader by scores of 12-2 in five innings and 4-1.
A seven-run third inning was the key to the first game win. Jon Mootz hit a three-run double, and Kyle Sperfslage had a two-run single as part of the attack, as Monticello took an 8-0 lead.
Leading 9-2 after four innings, the Panthers tacked on three more in the top of the fifth. Then, pitcher Kegan Arduser retired the Knights in the bottom half to close out the game because of the 10-run rule. Arduser pitched all five innings, allowing three hits and striking out six.
Monticello had 10 hits for the game, with Arduser going 2-for-3 and Mootz batting 2-for-4 with four total runs batted in.
“It was probably our best all-around game this season,” Monticello coach Josh Soper said. “Kegan pitched well to pick up the win. Jon Mootz had a big game, and eight different players had a hit, which is a very encouraging sign.”
The Panthers then had a pair of encouraging pitching performances in the second game. Sperfslage worked the first 5 2/3 to get the win, allowing five hits and striking out six. Ryan Manternach pitched the last 1 1/3 innings to get the save, striking out two.
“Kyle pitched extremely well again,” the coach said. He made some big pitches when we really needed them.”
Jacob Manternach and Avery Martensen had RBI singles in the first inning. Martensen had another run-scoring hit in the third, and Jacob Manternach got his second RBI with a single in the sixth.
“We were really happy to get a sweep,” Soper said. “North Cedar can be a difficult environment to play in. North Cedar saved their top two pitchers for the second game, and we did a great job plating two runs in the first.”
On Tuesday, June 6, Monticello had one of its most exciting games of the season, pulling out a 5-4 home win against West Branch. The game was close throughout, with neither team leadng by more than a single run.
It was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Sperfslage walked, went to second on a walk to Jacob Manternch, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Manternach.
Then, Ryan Manternach came in to pitch the seventh, and got his second save in as many games. Andrew Mescher had a strong game as the starter, pitching six innings, and allowing just two earned runs on six hits and striking out six.
“We had several opportunities to tack on runs, but couldn’t get the timely hit,” Soper said. “Fortunately, we were able to manufacture a few runs.
“Andrew pitched well. We are getting better daily and have a chance to really improve as the season progresses.”
Monticello’s winning ways continued in a single varsity game played at Tipton June 8, a convincing 10-1 win. The Panthers scored in six of the seven innings while collecting 15 hits.
Key hits included a two-run single by Alex Kremer in the fourth inning, and a two-run single by Sperfslage in the sixth.
Sperfslage finished 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and three stolen bases. Kremer was 3-for-4 with three RBIs – all with two outs. Getting two hits each were Jacob Manternach, Martensen and Mescher. Jacob Manternach, Wesley Henderson and Mescher also doubled.
“Easily our best game of the season,” Soper said. “It was a team win with contributions from the whole team.”
Ryan Manternach pitched five innings to get the win, allowing just three hits and striking out three. Jacob Manternach pitched the last two and allowed no runs, fanning two.
“Ryan pitched well for five innings, and Jacob came in to get the last six outs,” the coach said. “He pitched extremely well for his first time on a varsity mound.
“The coaching staff is extremely proud of the entire team.”
The home game against Anamosa was moved to the morning in order to get it finished before a hot day became more of an issue.
It certainly wasn’t a problem for the Panthers, who ripped the Blue Raiders 19-1 in four innings.
Jacob Manternach had perhaps his biggest game of an already outstanding season, hitting two home runs, including a three-run shot in the first inning and a grand slam in the second; while going 3-for-3 with eight runs batted in.
Ryan Manternach was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Getting two hits each were Mescher (two doubles), Gavin Cooper, Tyler Hospodarsky, Sperfslage and Martensen. Mescher pitched a four-hitter for the win.
Monticello scored 11 runs in the second inning, with Ryan Manternach and Cooper hitting two-run singles to go along with Jacob Manternach’s grand slam.
“We played another solid all-around game,” Soper said. “Our offense was really clicking, and we had a couple of big innings. Andrew pitched very well despite the wind blowing out.”
June 5
Monticello 12, North Cedar 2
(first game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 2 1 1 1
Sperfslage 2b 2 3 1 2
Manternach, J. c 4 1 1 2
Manternach, R. 3b 3 2 1 0
Martensen 1b 2 1 1 2
Mescher ss 2 2 1 0
Mootz dh 4 1 2 4
Arduser p 3 1 2 0
Kremer rf 3 0 0 0
Nealson lf 0 0 0 0
Hospodarsky cr 3 1 1 0
Totals 25 12 10 11
Monticello 107 13 – 12 10 3
North Cedar 000 2 – 2 3 3
2B – Mootz.
SB – Sperfslage 4, Cooper 2, Kremer 2,
Hospodarsky 2, J. Manternach, Mescher,
Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Arduser (W, 2-1) 5 3 2 2 3 6
Totals 5 3 2 2 3 6
Monticello 4, North Cedar 1
(second game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 4 2 1 0
Sperfslage p 3 2 1 0
Manternach, J. c 4 0 2 2
Manternach, R. 3b 4 0 0 0
Martensen 1b 3 0 2 2
Mescher ss 2 0 0 0
Mootz dh 3 0 0 0
Kremer rf 3 0 0 0
Hospodarsky 2b 2 0 0 0
Arduser ph 1 0 1 0
Nealson lf 0 0 0 0
Totals 29 4 7 4
Monticello 201 000 1 – 4 7 1
North Cedar 100 000 0 – 1 5 2
SB – Cooper 2, Sperfslage, J. Manternach,
Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Sperfslage (W, 2-0) 5 2/3 5 1 1 2 6
Manternach, R. (S,1) 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2
Totals 7 5 1 1 2 8
June 6
Monticello 5, West Branch 4
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 3 0 0 0
Sperfslage ss 2 1 0 0
Manternach, J. c 3 1 1 0
Manternach, R. 3b 1 1 0 1
Martensen 1b 4 1 1 0
Mescher p 2 0 0 0
Mootz dh 3 0 2 1
Kremer rf 1 1 0 1
Hospodarsky 2b 1 0 0 0
Nealson lf 0 0 0 0
Totals 20 4 5 3
West Branch 012 001 0 – 4 6 3
Monticello 021 101 x – 5 5 1
SB – Sperfslage 2, Martensen 2, Mootz,
J. Manternach.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mescher (W, 1-1) 6 6 4 2 1 6
Manternach, R. (S, 2) 1 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 7 6 4 2 1 6
June 8
Monticello 10, Tipton 1
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 5 1 1 0
Sperfslage 2b 3 2 3 2
Manternach, J. c 4 1 2 2
Martensen 1b 4 0 2 1
Manternach, R. 3b 2 1 0 0
Mescher p 4 3 2 0
Mootz dh 4 1 1 1
Recker 3b 3 0 0 0
Henderson c 1 0 1 1
Kremer rf 4 1 3 3
Nealson lf 0 0 0 0
Lambert cr 0 0 0 0
Tjaden cr 0 0 0 0
Totals 34 10 15 10
Monticello 110 222 2 – 10 15 0
Tipton 001 000 0 – 0 3 2
2B – Sperfslage, J. Manternach, Mescher,
Henderson.
SB – Sperfslage 3, Martensen 2, Mescher 2,
Cooper, Mootz, Kremer.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Manternach,R.(W,1-1) 5 3 1 1 1 3
Manternach, J. 2 0 0 0 0 2
Totals 7 3 1 1 1 5
June 10
Monticello 19, Anamosa 1
(four innings)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Cooper cf 3 2 2 2
Sperfslage ss 3 4 2 0
Manternach, J. c 3 3 3 8
Martensen 1b 3 4 2 0
Manternach, R. 3b 4 2 3 3
Mescher p 4 1 2 3
Mootz dh 3 0 0 0
Kremer rf 1 1 0 0
Hospodarsky 2b 2 2 2 1
Nealson lf 0 0 0 0
Totals 26 19 16 17
Anamosa 000 1 – 1 5 2
Monticello 4(11)4 x – 19 16 0
HR – J. Manternach 2.
2B – Mescher 2, R. Manternach.
SB – Sperfslage 2, Cooper, J. Manternach,
Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Mescher (W, 2-1) 4 4 1 1 0 3
Totals 4 4 1 1 0 3
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