MONROE - Baseball at times can be a game of inches.
The Monroe Brewers witnessed that rule on both ends in a 7-3 loss to Argyle in a Home Talent League Western Section game on Sunday.
In the sixth inning, Monroe's Mitch Riese made a perfect relay throw to catcher Adam Scherer who tagged out Drew Schliem to stay within striking distance with the Beavers clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Lance Rossing hit a chopper in the seventh that glanced off Monroe third baseman Matt Busjahn's glove and two runs scored to give the Beavers a 4-2 lead. That highlighted a four-run seventh by Argyle.
"It feels good to be a part of a really good team," Rossing said of making contact in the clutch to drive in two runs. "We have a new coach and he has been on top of it. Anyone would have come through in that situation. That is how our team has been this year."
With three games left before the playoffs, Rossing isn't taking anything for granted.
"It's always a must win," he said. "Any team can show up on any given day. We need to keep showing up every day."
Argyle (9-4), which had eight of its nine starters collect at least one hit, was in control most of the game after Cole Jordan reached on an error and scored on an error in the second.
After turning a double play in the sixth with Riese's relay throw to Scherer, the Brewers (4-8) battled back in the bottom of the sixth. Kramer Henning coaxed a leadoff walk off Argyle starting pitcher Jarett Bauman. Brewers co-player manager Rooney Janecke then delivered an RBI double and beat a close play at third and some arguing ensued. Busjahn knocked in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.
"We were doing some talking," Janecke said. "Everyone wants to win and compete. It's just for fun."
The Beavers broke through with a four-run seventh off Ben Conway and relief pitcher Mitch Marty. Dan Godfrey singled to right to lead off the seventh and Travis Erickson moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Tyler Ritschard then came through with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 2. Dylan Schwitz went 3-for-4 to lead Argyle and Ritschard was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Marty walked Andy Bohlman and Rossing hit a chopper that glanced off Busjahn's glove and two runs scored to give the Beavers a 4-2 lead. Justin Crotty then lined an RBI double to extend the lead to 5-2.
"It was our third time through the lineup and sometimes that makes a difference," Argyle coach Larry Schliem said. "We made some adjustments and put the ball in play. This was a huge game for us to get in the No. 3 or 4 hole. There are so many of us one win or loss from the 3 and 4 spots."
Conway pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up one earned run on four hits. He struck out five and walked three. In 1 2/3 innings, Marty gave up two runs on six hits.
"He is a big kid who throws hard," Janecke said of Conway. "He's a good pitcher. They hit the ball, and we have to make plays in the field. We are not major leaguers. If we make an error, we just have to get over it and make the next play. The momentum changed several times. You could see we had the momentum. It's part of baseball."
Bauman pitched six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit one. Crotty tossed three innings in relief and gave up just one unearned run. When Bauman got into a jam in the sixth, Schliem went out to talk to him on the mound.
"He started getting behind guys in that inning," Schliem said. "We just wanted him to get out of that inning to give Justin more time to warm-up. Jarett did a good job to get out of that inning."
The Monroe Brewers witnessed that rule on both ends in a 7-3 loss to Argyle in a Home Talent League Western Section game on Sunday.
In the sixth inning, Monroe's Mitch Riese made a perfect relay throw to catcher Adam Scherer who tagged out Drew Schliem to stay within striking distance with the Beavers clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Lance Rossing hit a chopper in the seventh that glanced off Monroe third baseman Matt Busjahn's glove and two runs scored to give the Beavers a 4-2 lead. That highlighted a four-run seventh by Argyle.
"It feels good to be a part of a really good team," Rossing said of making contact in the clutch to drive in two runs. "We have a new coach and he has been on top of it. Anyone would have come through in that situation. That is how our team has been this year."
With three games left before the playoffs, Rossing isn't taking anything for granted.
"It's always a must win," he said. "Any team can show up on any given day. We need to keep showing up every day."
Argyle (9-4), which had eight of its nine starters collect at least one hit, was in control most of the game after Cole Jordan reached on an error and scored on an error in the second.
After turning a double play in the sixth with Riese's relay throw to Scherer, the Brewers (4-8) battled back in the bottom of the sixth. Kramer Henning coaxed a leadoff walk off Argyle starting pitcher Jarett Bauman. Brewers co-player manager Rooney Janecke then delivered an RBI double and beat a close play at third and some arguing ensued. Busjahn knocked in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.
"We were doing some talking," Janecke said. "Everyone wants to win and compete. It's just for fun."
The Beavers broke through with a four-run seventh off Ben Conway and relief pitcher Mitch Marty. Dan Godfrey singled to right to lead off the seventh and Travis Erickson moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Tyler Ritschard then came through with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 2. Dylan Schwitz went 3-for-4 to lead Argyle and Ritschard was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Marty walked Andy Bohlman and Rossing hit a chopper that glanced off Busjahn's glove and two runs scored to give the Beavers a 4-2 lead. Justin Crotty then lined an RBI double to extend the lead to 5-2.
"It was our third time through the lineup and sometimes that makes a difference," Argyle coach Larry Schliem said. "We made some adjustments and put the ball in play. This was a huge game for us to get in the No. 3 or 4 hole. There are so many of us one win or loss from the 3 and 4 spots."
Conway pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up one earned run on four hits. He struck out five and walked three. In 1 2/3 innings, Marty gave up two runs on six hits.
"He is a big kid who throws hard," Janecke said of Conway. "He's a good pitcher. They hit the ball, and we have to make plays in the field. We are not major leaguers. If we make an error, we just have to get over it and make the next play. The momentum changed several times. You could see we had the momentum. It's part of baseball."
Bauman pitched six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit one. Crotty tossed three innings in relief and gave up just one unearned run. When Bauman got into a jam in the sixth, Schliem went out to talk to him on the mound.
"He started getting behind guys in that inning," Schliem said. "We just wanted him to get out of that inning to give Justin more time to warm-up. Jarett did a good job to get out of that inning."
