Cubs advance at Worthington

     Tournament play has become a strong suit for the Monticello Cubs baseball team so far this season, as they opened the Worthington Tournament with an 8-3 win over Epworth last week.

     Monticello (4-3) also played a pair of Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League games, dropping both.

     In a league game against Worthington June 15, both teams were strong on the pitcher’s mound, but Worthington was just a little bit stronger at the plate in a 3-0 victory over the Cubs.

     Parker Kray started the game for Monticello and recorded 17 outs, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out five. Kray took the loss.

     Tyler Felton went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the team in hits.

     Ryley Helle pitched all seven innings for the Cardinals, allowing no runs on seven hits and striking out three.

     “We struggled again to get the bats rolling,” Cubs player-manager Tanner Felton said. “Parker gave us a good outing on the mound. Kyle Wright pounded the strike zone as well and got outs when we need them.

     “Our pitching and defense have been keeping us in games. The bats will start rolling here soon once guys start getting more at bats.”

     The Cubs (4-3) did get the bats rolling in a first round game in the Worthington Tournament June 18, scoring an 8-3 win over Epworth. Monticello broke away from a 1-1 game with two runs in the top of the fifth inning and one more in the sixth. Then, in the seventh, a three-run homer by Andrew Mescher broke the game open.

     Zack Monk went 2-for-3 at the plate. A.J. Reuter pitched the entire game, allowing 10 hits but striking out 10.

     “A.J. Reuter threw his best complete game I have seen in a while,” Tanner Felton said. “Right after the first inning I knew he was dialed in.

     “We ran the bases very well, taking advantage of some mistakes. We played very well defensively and hit with runners in scoring position.”

     The Cubs returned to EIHL play June 21, facing Cascade for Placid Day of Honor. Monticello led 1-0 through three innings, but gave up seven runs over the next three on the way to a 7-3 loss.

     “We played good defense, and then as the game went on we just couldn’t put much together,” Tanner Felton said. “It was a great day for the Placid fundraiser and Day of Honor. We just couldn’t come out on top.”

     Kyle Wright batted 2-for-4 with a double, and also pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, taking the loss.

     The Cubs were scheduled to face Rickardsville in the quarterfinals of the Worthington Tournament June 23.

June 15

Worthington 3, Monticello 0

MONTICELLO                            AB     R     H     BI

Mescher ss                                    3      0      1      0

Monk 2b                                        3      0      0      0

Felton, Ta. 3b                                3      0      1      0

Cooper cf                                       2      0      1      0

Stutt, L. dh                                     3      0      1      0

Kray p                                            0      0      0      0

Wright 1b                                       3      0      0      0

Mootz lf                                          3      0      0      0

Holmes rf                                       2      0      1      0

Felton, Ty. c                                   3      0      2      0

Kraus rf                                         1      0      0      0

Totals                                          26     0      7      0

Worthington                001  002  0   –    3      7      1

Monticello                   000  000  0   –    0      7      2

Monticello                  IP      H     R    ER   BB   SO

Kray (L, 0-2)             5 2/3    6      3      2      3      5

Wright                       1 1/3    1      0      0      1      2

Totals                          7       7      3      2      4      7

June 19

Worthington Tournament

(first round)

Monticello 8, Epworth 3

MONTICELLO                            AB     R    H   BI

Mescher ss                                    4      2      1      3

Reuter, M. 3b                                 1      0      0      0

Monk, Z. lf                                      4      2      2      0

Felton, Ta. cf                                  4      0      1      0

Reuter, A. p                                    3      1      1      1

Stutt, L. dh                                      4      0      1      2

Holmes rf                                        4      0      1      1

Wright 1b                                        4      0      0      0

Felton, Ty. 2b                                  2      1      0      0

Cooper c                                         0      2      0      0

Totals                                            29     8      7      7

Monticello                    100  021  4   –    8      7      0

Epworth                       000  100  2   –    3     10     2

LOB – Monticello 12, Epworth 8.

HR – Mescher.

SB – Mescher, Ty. Felton, Cooper.

Monticello                  IP    H      R    ER   BB    SO

Reuter (W, 1-0)            7    10      3      3      1      10

Totals                          7     10     3      3      1      10

June 21

(at Placid)

Cascade 7, Monticello 3

MONTICELLO                            AB     R     H     BI

Mescher ss                                    2      2      0      0

Cooper cf                                       3      0      1      0

Monk, Z. 2b                                    4      0      1      0

Felton, Ta. 1b                                 3      0      1      2

Wright p                                          4      1      2      0

Manternach, R. 3b                          3      0      0      0

Kraus rf                                           2      0      1      1

Holmes lf                                         3      0      0      0

Felton, Ty. c                                     1      0      0      0

Totals                                             25     3      6      3

Cascade                       000  232  0   –    7     11     0

Monticello                     100  001  1   –    3      6      0

LOB – Cascade 12, Monticello 8.

2B – Wright.

Monticello                  IP       H     R    ER   BB    SO

Wright (L, 0-2)           4 1/3    7      5      5      7       3

Mescher                    2 2/3    4      2      2      1      6

Totals                          7      11      7      7      8      9