Benton, Camanche top Panthers
Monticello had three games in the space of four days to open the 2019 high school baseball season.
The Panthers (0-2 conference, 0-3 overall) started the season with a 4-1 home loss to Benton Community May 20. Benton scored twice in the top of the first inning, and led throughout. Monticello was held to one hit, a single by Tyler Luensman.
Monticello’s run was scored in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Jeff Carlson walked, went to second on a walk to Tate Petersen, to third on a walk to Luensman, and scored on a wild pitch.
On May 23, the Panthers opened the River Valley Conference schedule with a home doubleheader against Camanche, losing 7-4 and 5-1.
In the first game, Camanche led 2-1 through five innings before scoring three in the top of the sixth.
“They had a good starting pitcher who controlled the zone really well,” Monticello coach Kolby Harms said. “By the time we got to him, it was a little too late.”
Jon Mootz went 2-for-4 for the Panthers. Eighth-grade pitcher Dylan Roher started the game and went four innings, allowing one earned run on two hits, but took the loss. Tyler Luensman pitched the last three in relief.
In the second game, Camanche took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and led throughout. Monticello starter Avery Martensen had a no-hitter going through four innings, despite the team trailing 3-1, but wound up taking the loss. Gavin Cooper pitched the last three.
Martensen went 2-for-3 at the plate.
“I thought we outplayed them,” Harms said of the second game, “but we’re struggling to put runs together. I think the hitting will come, and we will clean some stuff up on defense.”
May 20
Benton Comm. 4, Monticello 1
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Luensman, T. 3b 3 0 1 0
Sauser ss 3 0 0 0
Mootz lf 4 0 0 0
Martensen 1b 3 0 0 0
Blattner p 3 0 0 0
Gillmore c 3 0 0 0
Carlson dh 2 1 0 0
Kraus rf 0 0 0 0
Petersen 2b 2 0 0 0
Cooper, G. cf 2 0 0 0
Totals 24 1 1 0
Benton Comm. 200 011 0 – 4 10 2
Monticello 000 000 0 – 1 1 2
SB – Carlson.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Blattner (L, 0-1) 6 9 4 3 0 6
Roher 1 0 0 1 1 0
Totals 7 9 4 4 1 6
May 23
Camanche 7, Monticello 4
(first game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Luensman, T. 3b 3 0 0 0
Sauser ss 4 0 1 1
Mootz lf 4 1 2 0
Martensen 1b 4 2 1 1
Blattner dh 3 0 0 1
Roher p 0 0 0 0
Recker rf 3 0 0 0
Luensman, K. cr 0 0 0 0
Gillmore c 2 0 0 0
Petersen 2b 2 1 1 1
Cooper, G. cf 3 0 0 0
Totals 28 4 5 4
Camanche 011 003 2 – 7 5 2
Monticello 010 002 1 – 4 5 3
LOB – Camanche 6, Monticello 6.
2B – Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Roher (L, 0-1) 5 2 2 1 2 1
T. Luensman 2 3 5 1 4 2
Totals 7 5 7 2 6 3
Camanche 5, Monticello 1
(second game)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Luensman 3b 4 0 1 0
Sauser ss 3 0 1 0
Mootz lf 3 0 0 0
Martensen p 3 1 2 0
Recker rf 3 0 1 0
Blattner c 3 0 0 0
Luensman, K. 1b 2 0 0 0
Petersen 2b 2 0 0 0
Cooper cf 3 0 0 0
Totals 26 1 5 0
Camanche 200 110 1 – 5 2 0
Monticello 000 100 0 – 1 5 1
LOB – Camanche 9, Monticello 6.
SB – Martensen.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Martensen (L, 0-1) 4 2/3 2 4 2 6 2
Cooper, G. 2 1/3 0 1 0 1 2
Totals 7 2 5 2 7 4