By Natalie Dillon
ndillon@
themonroetimes.com
ARGYLE — The Beavers loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the first but were unable to score against the Mudcats, who went on to win 3-0 in a Home Talent game Sunday, July 11. Argyle left six runners on base, leading to Muscoda’s first win of the Sunday Night League season.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Eli Zimmerman on the bump, Clay Ritschard led off with a bloop hit between the second baseman and right fielder. BJ Penniston’s hit also found grass in no man’s land behind second base. Dylan Schwitz then loaded the bases with a bunt single up the first baseline. Designated hitter Gavin Johnson lifted a ball to center, but it wasn’t deep enough for Ritschard to tag, as Brett Hach’s throw to the plate was on line. Tannar Johnson then grounded into a 5-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Zimmerman struck out the side in the second, putting the bats back into his teammates hands. The Beavers went down quickly, though, as Miken Godfrey and Brock Miller grounded out to second on the first pitches of their respective at bats. Cale Weeden extended the inning with a single up the middle, but Jayden Johnson hit into a fielder’s choice.
After an uneventful third inning, the Mudcats put up two runs in the second. Hach led off with a walk, and Josh Cartwright followed with a single to right on the first pitch of his at bat. Zimmerman got two outs with a pop up and fly out to right, the latter of which Miken Godfrey got back into the infield before the runners could advance. A ground ball back to the mound was the ticket out of the inning, but Zimmerman slipped — the game had gotten pushed back to 3:30 p.m. to prepare the field from the storms the night before — loading the bases for Muscoda.
Mathew Cartwright then came up clutch with a two-RBI single up the middle. Ritschard ended the threat by fielding a ground ball and stepping on third for the lead out.
Muscoda starting pitcher Alex Meister threw a shutdown inning with just one blemish; Tanner Johnson hit a ball up the middle that Mason Atkins made a diving play on, but his throw pulled Mathew Cartwright off the base.
The Mudcats added on an insurance run in the top of the sixth. After fouling off multiple pitches, Tyler Hach went down looking, as Zimmerman hit the bottom of the zone. Atkins hit a liner past the outstretched glove of Miller and took second on a passed ball. Meister reached on a single, even though Miken Godfrey appeared to make a diving catch on the ball in right. In a combination of getting up from the ground and a poor throw back into the infield, Atkins scored to make it 3-0.
Zimmerman limited the damage to just one run, getting Mathew Cartwright to chase a pitch and Cadin Kennedy swinging on three straight pitches.
Argyle’s final scoring chance came in the bottom of the sixth. Gavin Johnson reached on a two-out error and Tannar Johnson was hit in the first pitch of his at bat. Godfrey then got ahead in the count 3-0, saw a strike and grounded out to second.
In the remaining three innings, just two combined batters over minimum came to the plate.
Meister pitched a complete-game shutout for Muscoda, striking out three without issuing a walk. At the plate, he was 1-for-4. Ryan Kueter led the Mudcats, going 2-for-3 with a walk. Mathew Cartwright drove in two runs. It was Muscoda’s first win of the Sunday Night League season.
Zimmerman suffered the loss for Argyle, giving up three runs in six innings pitched. He struck out 10 and walked just one. Penniston, Schwitz and Weeden had one hit each.
2024 PLAYOFFS
With one week left in the regular season, some teams have already clinched their spot in the playoffs. In the Western section, the top eight teams qualify for playoffs. Those that have earned a berth include Verona, Dodgeville, Hollandale and Pine Bluff-Mount Horeb. Once pairings have been determined, the higher seeds will host the lower seeds.
The Final Four — with the top team in each division — will begin Sunday, Aug. 18 with the West hosting the East, and the Southeast hosting the West. The following Sunday, the East will host the North, and the Southeast will host the West. To kick off September, the East will host the Southeast, and the West will host the North.
