MONROE - Alex Einbeck got a few chances in the spring as a pitcher, but he couldn't precisely remember the last time he pitched a complete game.
"It may have been Little League," Einbeck said. "It's been a long time."
Whenever it was, the senior came close to replicating it as he tossed a two-hitter over six innings to lead the Monroe Senior Legion baseball team to a 4-1 win against Evansville on Tuesday. Ryan Erickson struck out two in the seventh to close the door.
Einbeck was at his best working out of jams, maneuvering out of bases loaded situations in the third and sixth innings. For the game, Evansville went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base. Einbeck gave up just one unearned run on two hits, striking out six and walking three.
Einbeck said the key was getting his curveball over for a strike and locating his fastball on the outside corners.
"I want to become a better pitcher and be able to compete and win in conference," he said.
Monroe coach Eric Losenegger lauded Einbeck's ability to stay in control on the mound.
"He has been throwing strikes and doing this all summer," Losenegger said. "We are trying to build him up so he can go seven. He did his job and put us in a position to win."
His job: Put his team back in the dugout.
He did just that in the third, working out of a bases loaded, one out jam by getting Ryan Cashore and Cody Pinnow to ground out. In the sixth, Einbeck got a groundout and struck out a batter to end another bases loaded threat.
"Staying calm, getting the fastball location right and shooting strikes," Einbeck said of his thoughts on the mound.
He even helped his own cause when he lined a single to left field in the third and stole second base. Kramer Henning, who went 3-for-4, then ripped an RBI single to center to score Einbeck and give Monroe a 1-0 lead. Henning, who is also playing Home Talent League Baseball with the Monroe Brewers, has been on a tear recently, going 13-for-17 in his last four games.
"He has been a leader for this program, and he is going to play baseball in college in Rockford," Losenegger said. "If he can come out and be a leader and show us how to play that would be great. He needs to get a lot of at-bats this summer."
Monroe's Sean Saxby crushed a leadoff double to left in the fourth. Erickson reached on a fielder's choice and Saxby beat a play at third base. Mitch Riese then came through with a sacrifice fly to score Saxby to give Monroe a 2-0 lead.
Monroe tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Ryan Hughes crushed a triple to center and eventually scored on a passed ball. Einbeck then knocked in the last run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Seven of Monroe's nine starters had hits.
"We are getting guys on base and we are able to do some things and put pressure on the other team," Losenegger said. "We are making things happen up and down the lineup."
"It may have been Little League," Einbeck said. "It's been a long time."
Whenever it was, the senior came close to replicating it as he tossed a two-hitter over six innings to lead the Monroe Senior Legion baseball team to a 4-1 win against Evansville on Tuesday. Ryan Erickson struck out two in the seventh to close the door.
Einbeck was at his best working out of jams, maneuvering out of bases loaded situations in the third and sixth innings. For the game, Evansville went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base. Einbeck gave up just one unearned run on two hits, striking out six and walking three.
Einbeck said the key was getting his curveball over for a strike and locating his fastball on the outside corners.
"I want to become a better pitcher and be able to compete and win in conference," he said.
Monroe coach Eric Losenegger lauded Einbeck's ability to stay in control on the mound.
"He has been throwing strikes and doing this all summer," Losenegger said. "We are trying to build him up so he can go seven. He did his job and put us in a position to win."
His job: Put his team back in the dugout.
He did just that in the third, working out of a bases loaded, one out jam by getting Ryan Cashore and Cody Pinnow to ground out. In the sixth, Einbeck got a groundout and struck out a batter to end another bases loaded threat.
"Staying calm, getting the fastball location right and shooting strikes," Einbeck said of his thoughts on the mound.
He even helped his own cause when he lined a single to left field in the third and stole second base. Kramer Henning, who went 3-for-4, then ripped an RBI single to center to score Einbeck and give Monroe a 1-0 lead. Henning, who is also playing Home Talent League Baseball with the Monroe Brewers, has been on a tear recently, going 13-for-17 in his last four games.
"He has been a leader for this program, and he is going to play baseball in college in Rockford," Losenegger said. "If he can come out and be a leader and show us how to play that would be great. He needs to get a lot of at-bats this summer."
Monroe's Sean Saxby crushed a leadoff double to left in the fourth. Erickson reached on a fielder's choice and Saxby beat a play at third base. Mitch Riese then came through with a sacrifice fly to score Saxby to give Monroe a 2-0 lead.
Monroe tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Ryan Hughes crushed a triple to center and eventually scored on a passed ball. Einbeck then knocked in the last run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Seven of Monroe's nine starters had hits.
"We are getting guys on base and we are able to do some things and put pressure on the other team," Losenegger said. "We are making things happen up and down the lineup."
