MONROE - The Brewers hopes of finishing first in the Home Talent Night League's South Section and earning a No. 1 seed in the playoffs were dashed with a 7-3 loss to Orfordville Tuesday.
Monroe (7-3) entered the Thursday night league regular season finale in a jumbled four-way tie in the loss column in the chase for the top seed in the playoffs with Orfordville, Cross Plains and Pine Bluff.
The Brewers were haunted by four errors Tuesday and their loss could make them slide down to a No. 3 or No. 4 seed and a road game in the first round of the Night League playoffs Thursday.
Orfordville pitcher Joe Lange, who is a former pitcher at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, threw a six-hit complete game. He struck out nine and walked one.
"They always try to win the Thursday Night League," Brewers co-player manager Rooney Janecke said, who was 2-for-3 with a stolen base. "I think they play a lot more of their Sunday league players. That pitcher would be a Sunday league pitcher for most teams in our section."
With the Orioles clinging to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Brewers' defense had a couple of mental breakdowns. Orfordville's Brad Brey reached on an error. Jeff Adas followed by hitting a comebacker to Monroe pitcher Kris Rieder. Rieder threw to second, but Brey beat the force out. Grant Oldenberg then lined an RBI single to center to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. Orfordville's Joe Cox, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, drove in a run with a single to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead.
The Brewers answered in their half of the fourth. Janecke singled and stole second. Brewers co-player manager Lon Scheuerell then delivered an RBI single to right to cut the Orioles' lead to 4-1.
Rieder pitched six innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits and walked three. Monroe committed two errors in the sixth that opened the door for the Orioles. Orfordville's Karsten Marrick lined a two-run single to center to give the Orioles a 6-1 lead.
The Brewers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Rieder singled, and Mitch Marty reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Justin Hahn walked and Janecke singled. Scheuerell struck out, but a run scored when he reached first on a passed ball on the third strike. Scott White, who was 2-for-4, followed with an RBI single to cut the Orioles' lead to 6-3. Janecke, who would have scored the second run on the hit, was thrown out at the plate.
Janecke said when a team goes through the lineup two or three times against a tough pitcher, the hitting tends to improve.
"We hit some shots right at them early on," Janecke said. "They hit some seeing-eye singles and we made some miscues. That happens. They came out and hit the ball hard and made the plays. We could see them again on Thursday."
Monroe (7-3) entered the Thursday night league regular season finale in a jumbled four-way tie in the loss column in the chase for the top seed in the playoffs with Orfordville, Cross Plains and Pine Bluff.
The Brewers were haunted by four errors Tuesday and their loss could make them slide down to a No. 3 or No. 4 seed and a road game in the first round of the Night League playoffs Thursday.
Orfordville pitcher Joe Lange, who is a former pitcher at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, threw a six-hit complete game. He struck out nine and walked one.
"They always try to win the Thursday Night League," Brewers co-player manager Rooney Janecke said, who was 2-for-3 with a stolen base. "I think they play a lot more of their Sunday league players. That pitcher would be a Sunday league pitcher for most teams in our section."
With the Orioles clinging to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Brewers' defense had a couple of mental breakdowns. Orfordville's Brad Brey reached on an error. Jeff Adas followed by hitting a comebacker to Monroe pitcher Kris Rieder. Rieder threw to second, but Brey beat the force out. Grant Oldenberg then lined an RBI single to center to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. Orfordville's Joe Cox, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, drove in a run with a single to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead.
The Brewers answered in their half of the fourth. Janecke singled and stole second. Brewers co-player manager Lon Scheuerell then delivered an RBI single to right to cut the Orioles' lead to 4-1.
Rieder pitched six innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits and walked three. Monroe committed two errors in the sixth that opened the door for the Orioles. Orfordville's Karsten Marrick lined a two-run single to center to give the Orioles a 6-1 lead.
The Brewers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Rieder singled, and Mitch Marty reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Justin Hahn walked and Janecke singled. Scheuerell struck out, but a run scored when he reached first on a passed ball on the third strike. Scott White, who was 2-for-4, followed with an RBI single to cut the Orioles' lead to 6-3. Janecke, who would have scored the second run on the hit, was thrown out at the plate.
Janecke said when a team goes through the lineup two or three times against a tough pitcher, the hitting tends to improve.
"We hit some shots right at them early on," Janecke said. "They hit some seeing-eye singles and we made some miscues. That happens. They came out and hit the ball hard and made the plays. We could see them again on Thursday."
