Cubs score plenty, win one of three

     The Monticello Cubs semi-pro baseball team collected 21 runs and 27 hits over its first three games of the 2019 season, but the result was a 1-2 record.

     New Cubs player/manager Tanner Felton said that despite the two losses, he was optimistic about the season ahead.

     “We are off to a good start,” Felton said. “We are scoring runs and starting to play good defense and pitch well. I am excited to see how we develop as a team over the summer.”

     The Cubs opened May 5 at home against Farley, and came away with a 15-7 loss. Michael Reuter went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in, and Tanner Felton clouted a three-run homer. Pitcher Tyler Felton took the loss.

     “I was happy with the way our offense performed,” Tanner Felton said, “but we struggled to throw strikes and made a couple of costly errors.”

     On May 9, the Cubs got in the win column for the first time with an 11-10 comeback win at Worthington. Monticello trailed 6-3 after one inning and 8-5 after five, but scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning and led the rest of the way.

     Michael Reuter batted 4-for-5, and Matt Holmes went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Lucas Stutt was 2-for-4. The team had 14 hits.

     “We hit the ball really well,” Tanner Felton said. “It felt great to get a win.”

     Then, Monticello played in the first round of the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League early-season tournament, and lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Key West.

     “This was a tough loss,” Tanner Felton said. “Key West was the number one seed, and we had one heck of a battle. We played very good defense and pitched well. We had plenty of opportunities to score runs early, but couldn’t get timely hits.”

     All three Monticello runs came in the top of the fifth. Mason Newhard hit a two-out single to keep the inning alive, Tanner Felton had an RBI double, and Lucas Stutt hit a two-run single to tie the game.

     Tanner Felton finished 2-for-4. Adam Lloyd pitched all seven innings, allowing five hits and striking out seven.

May 9

Monticello 11, Worthington 10

MONTICELLO                            AB    R      H    BI

Monk, Z. lf                                     5      2      1      0

Sperfslage ss                                5      1      1      0

Reuter, M. 2b                                5      2      4      1

Felton, Ta. cf                                 4      3      1      2

Stutt, L. 3b                                    4      1      2      1

Holmes p                                      4      0      3      2

Felton, Ty. c                                   4      1      1      2

Hanken 1b                                     4      0      1      1

Kremer rf                                       4      1      1      0

Totals                                          34     11    14     9

Monticello                   302  006  0   –   11    14     0

Worthington               600  022  0   –    10    11     3

LOB – Monticello 6, Worthington 6.

2B – Ta. Felton.

Monticello                  IP     H     R    ER   BB   SO

Holmes                        4      5      6      5      3      3

Reuter, M. (W, 1-0)      3      6      4      4      2      4

Totals                           7    11    10      9      5      7

May 11

EIHL Tournament

(first round, at

Dyersville)

Key West 4, Monticello 3

MONTICELLO                            AB    R      H     BI

Monk, Z. lf                                     4      0      1      0

Sperfslage 2b                                4      1      0      0

Newhard 3b                                   4      1      1      0

Felton, Ta. cf                                  4      1      2      1

Stutt, L. 1b                                     4      0      1      2

Holmes rf                                       3      0      1      0

Felton, Ty. c                                   3      0      0      0

Davis dh                                         3      0      1      0

Lloyd, p                                          0      0      0      0

Mescher ss                                     3      0      1      0

Totals                                            36     9     12     9

Monticello                   000  030  0   –     3      8      4

Key West                    200  100  1   –     4      5      0

Two out when winning run scored.

LOB – Monticello 9, Key West 7.

2B – Ta. Felton.

SB – Mescher.

Monticello                  IP     H     R    ER   BB   SO

Lloyd (L, 0-1)               7      5      4      0      5      7

Totals                          7      5      4      0      5      7