Panthers open with victory
Ryan Manternach’s RBI single in the top of the eighth inning, scoring Kyle Sperfslage, proved to be the difference in the Monticello High School baseball team’s season-opening game.
The Panthers went on to defeat Bellevue 4-3 in eight innings Monday, May 22 at Bellevue.
“I thought we hit the ball well against good pitching up and down the lineup,” Monticello coach Josh Soper said. “Obviously it’s early in the season, but we have the makings of a good offensive team.”
Three nights later, the Panthers (3-0) swept a home doubleheader against Camanche May 25, winning by scores of 6-1 and 6-4. Because of early Express deadlines due to Memorial Day weekend, details of those games were unavailable at press time, but will appear in next week’s issue.
In the Bellevue game, the Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on an infield single by Andrew Mescher, scoring Jacob Manternach.
The Comets scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to gain a 3-1 lead, but the Panthers came back, tallying twice in the top of the sixth.
Gavin Cooper’s bases-loaded walk drove in one of those runs, and Sperfslage’s RBI groundout brought home the other.
The 3-3 score held until the eighth, when Sperfslage singled, stole second, and scored on Ryan Manternach’s single.
Ryan Manternach pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, and Mescher worked the last 3 2/3, getting the win.
“Bellevue has a nice team this year,” Soper said. “We made several defensive plays to get out of some jams, and our pitchers made some big pitches.”
Monticello had 10 hits, led by Jacob Manternach, Ryan Manternach and Avery Martensen with two apiece.
“The kids competed well and did the things they needed to do to get the job done,” the coach said.
May 22
Monticello 4, Bellevue 3
(eight innings)
MONTICELLO AB R H BI
Sperfslage 3b 5 1 1 1
Manternach, J. c 5 1 2 0
Manternach, R. p 4 0 2 1
Martensen 1b 5 0 2 0
Mescher ss 2 1 1 1
Mootz dh 4 1 0 0
Arduser lf 3 0 1 0
Kremer rf 4 0 1 0
Cooper cf 3 0 0 1
Hospodarsky 2b 0 0 0 0
Nealson, A. cr 0 0 0 0
Totals 35 4 10 4
Monticello 001 002 01 – 4 10 1
Bellevue 000 030 00 – 3 6 1
SB – Sperfslage, J. Manternach, Mescher.
Monticello IP H R ER BB SO
Manternach, R. 4 1/3 3 3 3 2 6
Mescher (W, 1-0) 3 2/3 3 0 0 2 4
Totals 8 6 3 3 4 10