MONROE - Pitching helps baseball teams win championships. The Monroe Senior Legion baseball team will use a stable of pitchers in its quest to win the Verona tournament this weekend.
Monroe opens play at 11:30 a.m. today against Madison East at Badger Ridge Field in Verona. Monroe (6-3, 5-1 in league play) is assured of three games and will play its second game at 4:30 p.m. today.
"We want to go up there to win it," Monroe coach Bruce Rear said. "I would just like to see us hit the ball a little better."
Rear knows what will make the difference for Monroe.
"We have been getting a lot of runners on base," Rear said. "We just seem to have trouble getting that big hit. My biggest concern is hitting the ball with runners in scoring position."
Monroe left 10 runners on base in a 5-4 walkoff win over Evansville on June 21.
Rear said last year when Monroe was playing well, Scott Kline was hitting at the top of the lineup.
Monroe has had some amazing pitching performances from Mike Rear, Mike Demianiuk and Kris Rieder in the past week. The Cheesemakers also may have Drew Moen and Lee Vlasak available to play in the tournament today.
Rieder pitched a four-hitter to lead Monroe to a 3-2 win Monday over Albany. He struck out 12 and walked just one.
Mike Rear carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Father's Day as Monroe came back and beat Evansville 5-4 in walkoff fashion on Taylor Riese's game-winning RBI single.
"It (walks) always come back and bites me in the butt," Mike Rear said after he walked three in the seventh, which helped Evansville tie the score. "I felt kind of mad. Riese came in and stepped up. We have to start hitting a little more. We tend to wait until the last inning."
Mike Rear struck out 12 and gave up just one earned run. Locating pitches and minimizing walks has helped Monroe pitchers keep their team in games.
Bruce Rear looks forward to playing in the tournament.
"We will see some very good competition," he said. "We will see some different teams than the ones we always play."
Monroe opens play at 11:30 a.m. today against Madison East at Badger Ridge Field in Verona. Monroe (6-3, 5-1 in league play) is assured of three games and will play its second game at 4:30 p.m. today.
"We want to go up there to win it," Monroe coach Bruce Rear said. "I would just like to see us hit the ball a little better."
Rear knows what will make the difference for Monroe.
"We have been getting a lot of runners on base," Rear said. "We just seem to have trouble getting that big hit. My biggest concern is hitting the ball with runners in scoring position."
Monroe left 10 runners on base in a 5-4 walkoff win over Evansville on June 21.
Rear said last year when Monroe was playing well, Scott Kline was hitting at the top of the lineup.
Monroe has had some amazing pitching performances from Mike Rear, Mike Demianiuk and Kris Rieder in the past week. The Cheesemakers also may have Drew Moen and Lee Vlasak available to play in the tournament today.
Rieder pitched a four-hitter to lead Monroe to a 3-2 win Monday over Albany. He struck out 12 and walked just one.
Mike Rear carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Father's Day as Monroe came back and beat Evansville 5-4 in walkoff fashion on Taylor Riese's game-winning RBI single.
"It (walks) always come back and bites me in the butt," Mike Rear said after he walked three in the seventh, which helped Evansville tie the score. "I felt kind of mad. Riese came in and stepped up. We have to start hitting a little more. We tend to wait until the last inning."
Mike Rear struck out 12 and gave up just one earned run. Locating pitches and minimizing walks has helped Monroe pitchers keep their team in games.
Bruce Rear looks forward to playing in the tournament.
"We will see some very good competition," he said. "We will see some different teams than the ones we always play."
