MONROE - The Monroe Senior Legion baseball team will face an uphill battle as they gear up for the American Legion Class AAA Region 7 State Qualifying Tournament this week.
Monroe is playing in a loaded tournament with No. 1 ranked Beloit, the seventh ranked Kenosha Merchants and Janesville Post 205, which has received some honorable mention votes as one of the state's top 10 teams. Kenosha (17-14) finished 6-1 in the LALL league in a first place tie with Beloit and Janesville. Monroe (10-7) will open the double-elimination tournament at 5 p.m. Wednesday against Kenosha at Janesville's Veterans Field.
"I feel like we can play with anyone in the state right now," said Monroe's Kramer Henning, who is hitting .409 with two home runs and 20 RBIs. "We are playing well. Hopefully, we can go out there and play our best baseball."
If Monroe wins the first round game against Kenosha, who is ranked seventh, they would then play the winner of Janesville Post 205 and Genoa City Post 183. A loss in the first round would pit Monroe against the loser of the Beloit-Racine Mudcats game.
Monroe's Drew Nafzger is hitting a team best .441 with one home run and 19 RBIs.
"Hopefully, they (Henning and Nafzger) can continue to swing the bat well," Monroe coach Eric Losenegger said. "We will need them to continue to carry us. Nafzger has been hitting seventh and he likes that spot. We have a deep lineup. He continues to make pitchers pay at the bottom of the lineup."
Henning, who plans to tryout for the baseball team at MATC, is eager to contribute at the plate.
"Hopefully, Drew and me can keep it going and some other guys step up and get big hits," Henning said.
Kenosha has lived on big hits throughout the year and has thrived at putting up runs on the board. Kenosha has a powerful well balanced lineup entering the tournament. Kenosha is led by Dustin Eschbach, who is hitting .458 with two home runs and 16 RBIs. The two big hitters for Kenosha are Michael Swift (.422 AVG, five home runs and 19 RBIs) and Justice Reichwein (.407, four home runs and 29 RBIs).
They have plenty of other offensive threats including Jake Hornik (.395), Jimmy Jones (.375, two home runs, 21 RBIs) and Ryan Furtney (.367, three home runs and 20 RBIs). Furtney hit a walkoff grand slam to help Kenosha beat Beloit 6-2 July 14.
Monroe will rely on the pitching of Kris Rieder and Nafzger.
"We have had solid pitching all year," Losenegger said. "If we can score some runs, I feel confident that we can compete with anyone there. We can play with anyone in the state."
Losenegger also is confident in Rieder.
"He will have to win a game for us," Losenegger said. "If we are going to do anything, he will have to pitch well."
Henning understands that playing solid defense is a key to success.
"We just have to make plays and not make mistakes," he said.
Monroe is playing in a loaded tournament with No. 1 ranked Beloit, the seventh ranked Kenosha Merchants and Janesville Post 205, which has received some honorable mention votes as one of the state's top 10 teams. Kenosha (17-14) finished 6-1 in the LALL league in a first place tie with Beloit and Janesville. Monroe (10-7) will open the double-elimination tournament at 5 p.m. Wednesday against Kenosha at Janesville's Veterans Field.
"I feel like we can play with anyone in the state right now," said Monroe's Kramer Henning, who is hitting .409 with two home runs and 20 RBIs. "We are playing well. Hopefully, we can go out there and play our best baseball."
If Monroe wins the first round game against Kenosha, who is ranked seventh, they would then play the winner of Janesville Post 205 and Genoa City Post 183. A loss in the first round would pit Monroe against the loser of the Beloit-Racine Mudcats game.
Monroe's Drew Nafzger is hitting a team best .441 with one home run and 19 RBIs.
"Hopefully, they (Henning and Nafzger) can continue to swing the bat well," Monroe coach Eric Losenegger said. "We will need them to continue to carry us. Nafzger has been hitting seventh and he likes that spot. We have a deep lineup. He continues to make pitchers pay at the bottom of the lineup."
Henning, who plans to tryout for the baseball team at MATC, is eager to contribute at the plate.
"Hopefully, Drew and me can keep it going and some other guys step up and get big hits," Henning said.
Kenosha has lived on big hits throughout the year and has thrived at putting up runs on the board. Kenosha has a powerful well balanced lineup entering the tournament. Kenosha is led by Dustin Eschbach, who is hitting .458 with two home runs and 16 RBIs. The two big hitters for Kenosha are Michael Swift (.422 AVG, five home runs and 19 RBIs) and Justice Reichwein (.407, four home runs and 29 RBIs).
They have plenty of other offensive threats including Jake Hornik (.395), Jimmy Jones (.375, two home runs, 21 RBIs) and Ryan Furtney (.367, three home runs and 20 RBIs). Furtney hit a walkoff grand slam to help Kenosha beat Beloit 6-2 July 14.
Monroe will rely on the pitching of Kris Rieder and Nafzger.
"We have had solid pitching all year," Losenegger said. "If we can score some runs, I feel confident that we can compete with anyone there. We can play with anyone in the state."
Losenegger also is confident in Rieder.
"He will have to win a game for us," Losenegger said. "If we are going to do anything, he will have to pitch well."
Henning understands that playing solid defense is a key to success.
"We just have to make plays and not make mistakes," he said.
