MONROE - Kris Rieder battled a groin injury and held Milton to just one run Monday. Unfortunately for Monroe's ace, the Cheesemakers failed to plate a single run in a tough 1-0 loss to the Red Hawks.
"I had trouble releasing my curveball and I wasn't hitting my spots the way I wanted to," Rieder said. "I hurt my groin last week and it was giving me problems. It hurt whenever I planted my leg."
Monroe (7-6, 4-4 Badger South) had trouble putting the ball in play against a tough wind. The Cheesemakers had just two hits and only one runner reach as far as second base.
"We made contact, just not hard enough contact," Monroe head coach Dustin Huffman said. "We played good enough defense and pitched well enough to win, we just lacked that big hit."
While the defense was more than solid, Monroe's offense couldn't collect hits in a row. In the third, Cory Kundert led off only to be hit by a pitch. Then, Michael Turek's bunt sat in front of the plate, allowing the Red Hawk's catcher Josh Meyers to easily gun down Kundert at second. Turek was then caught trying to steal just moments before Dylan Schwitz' single.
"It was going to be one of those games where whoever could clutch up and get that big hit would win the game," Huffman said.
Milton (7-7, 4-4) got its run in the top of the sixth. Rieder walked Meyers to start the inning and back to back groundouts moved the winning run to third. Red Hawks starting pitcher Sam McCann then singled through the right side to plate the game's only run.
"(Rieder) pitched well. He wasn't happy with his curveball. He was having trouble finding the release point," Huffman said. "But he battled. They had a couple hard hit balls but defensively we played great."
Monroe's defense kept itself in the game. Milton had runners on in five innings, including the fifth, when Nick Meyers hit a shot up the middle with two outs and a runner at third, but second baseman Taylor Riese made a nice backhand snag and throw to end the threat.
"We've got to keep Kris' head up. That's back to back games now he's pitched great," Huffman said. "The other guys know that when he pitches like that they have to step up and make plays on defense and step up and get those big hits."
McCann dominated on the hill for Milton, striking out eight and walking just one to get the win.
"You've got to give that kid credit. He was right around the plate, throwing hard and hitting the outside half," Huffman said. "All he threw was a fastball. We need to be able to hit that pitch."
Monroe gets back into action Thursday at home against Fort Atkinson (1-12, 0-8).
"I had trouble releasing my curveball and I wasn't hitting my spots the way I wanted to," Rieder said. "I hurt my groin last week and it was giving me problems. It hurt whenever I planted my leg."
Monroe (7-6, 4-4 Badger South) had trouble putting the ball in play against a tough wind. The Cheesemakers had just two hits and only one runner reach as far as second base.
"We made contact, just not hard enough contact," Monroe head coach Dustin Huffman said. "We played good enough defense and pitched well enough to win, we just lacked that big hit."
While the defense was more than solid, Monroe's offense couldn't collect hits in a row. In the third, Cory Kundert led off only to be hit by a pitch. Then, Michael Turek's bunt sat in front of the plate, allowing the Red Hawk's catcher Josh Meyers to easily gun down Kundert at second. Turek was then caught trying to steal just moments before Dylan Schwitz' single.
"It was going to be one of those games where whoever could clutch up and get that big hit would win the game," Huffman said.
Milton (7-7, 4-4) got its run in the top of the sixth. Rieder walked Meyers to start the inning and back to back groundouts moved the winning run to third. Red Hawks starting pitcher Sam McCann then singled through the right side to plate the game's only run.
"(Rieder) pitched well. He wasn't happy with his curveball. He was having trouble finding the release point," Huffman said. "But he battled. They had a couple hard hit balls but defensively we played great."
Monroe's defense kept itself in the game. Milton had runners on in five innings, including the fifth, when Nick Meyers hit a shot up the middle with two outs and a runner at third, but second baseman Taylor Riese made a nice backhand snag and throw to end the threat.
"We've got to keep Kris' head up. That's back to back games now he's pitched great," Huffman said. "The other guys know that when he pitches like that they have to step up and make plays on defense and step up and get those big hits."
McCann dominated on the hill for Milton, striking out eight and walking just one to get the win.
"You've got to give that kid credit. He was right around the plate, throwing hard and hitting the outside half," Huffman said. "All he threw was a fastball. We need to be able to hit that pitch."
Monroe gets back into action Thursday at home against Fort Atkinson (1-12, 0-8).
