MONROE - Even though the state regional Senior Legion baseball tournament doesn't start until next week, Monroe's Austin Burandt wanted to maintain bragging rights over Albany.
"If we split with them then we may be thinking the first game was a fluke and you are thinking are we really better than them," Burandt said. "Winning both games is really good on your mind."
Burandt went 2 for 4 and had two RBIs to lift Monroe to a 7-1 win over Albany and a summer sweep over their rivals.
Monroe's Kris Rieder tossed a two-hit shutout. He gave up just one run in six innings, striking out six and walking three. Monroe's Kramer Henning pitched a scoreless seventh.
Monroe (10-6) was 5 for 15 hitting with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
"He (Rieder) kept us in the game when we stranded guys on base early on," Monroe coach Eric Losenegger said. "He stayed positive and went out there and pitched so we could come back in and hit again. He worked ahead all night. Any time you can give up just two hits, that is a good thing and against a good hitting team like that it's an accomplishment."
Monroe left six runners on base before breaking through against Albany relief pitcher Carson Scheidegger in the fifth inning. Henning crushed a double to center, Matt Woodstock walked and Tyler Malcook moved two runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Burandt then knocked in a run when he beat out an infield single to give Monroe a 3-0 lead.
Drew Nafzger then delivered an RBI single to center. Nafzger reached base all four times he batted (2 for 2 with a walk and hit by pitch). Scheidegger then walked Taylor Riese with the bases loaded to give Monroe a 5-0 lead.
Mitchell Riese singled to left leading off the sixth and Kyle Cessna, as a pinch hitter for Henning, crushed an RBI double to the fence in center and Malcook hit a sacrifice fly to knock in a run and cap the scoring.
"I think we just did a better job of executing," Burandt said of hitting with runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh. "People just clutched up. Kyle Cessna came through with a big hit driving the ball to the fence. People came into their spots and did what they are supposed to do."
Albany (4-10) didn't have many scoring opportunities. A double by Scheidegger in the second and a single by Cody Schulz in the sixth were the squad's only hits. Albany finished 0 for 8 hitting with runners in scoring position and stranded four runners.
"It's frustrating to end the season with a loss," Albany coach Brian Dahl said. "We will get better."
Albany's Boomer Detra started the game, but he lasted just two innings after battling some wildness. Detra walked the first two batters and then hit two straight batters in the first inning to help Monroe jump out to a 1-0 lead.
"One of our problems all year has been the walks," Dahl said. "The walks just kill you."
Scheidegger pitched four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. He struck out four, walked four and hit one.
Monroe hosts McFarland on Friday and then gear up for the regional tournament at Janesville July 20-24. Monroe will play the Kenosha Merchants, who are ranked seventh, at 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 20.
The Senior Legion baseball season is over for Albany. However, Dahl looks to build off of two wins against Evansville and wins against Milton and Fort Atkinson.
"This year was halfway decent because we competed with everybody," he said.
"If we split with them then we may be thinking the first game was a fluke and you are thinking are we really better than them," Burandt said. "Winning both games is really good on your mind."
Burandt went 2 for 4 and had two RBIs to lift Monroe to a 7-1 win over Albany and a summer sweep over their rivals.
Monroe's Kris Rieder tossed a two-hit shutout. He gave up just one run in six innings, striking out six and walking three. Monroe's Kramer Henning pitched a scoreless seventh.
Monroe (10-6) was 5 for 15 hitting with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
"He (Rieder) kept us in the game when we stranded guys on base early on," Monroe coach Eric Losenegger said. "He stayed positive and went out there and pitched so we could come back in and hit again. He worked ahead all night. Any time you can give up just two hits, that is a good thing and against a good hitting team like that it's an accomplishment."
Monroe left six runners on base before breaking through against Albany relief pitcher Carson Scheidegger in the fifth inning. Henning crushed a double to center, Matt Woodstock walked and Tyler Malcook moved two runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Burandt then knocked in a run when he beat out an infield single to give Monroe a 3-0 lead.
Drew Nafzger then delivered an RBI single to center. Nafzger reached base all four times he batted (2 for 2 with a walk and hit by pitch). Scheidegger then walked Taylor Riese with the bases loaded to give Monroe a 5-0 lead.
Mitchell Riese singled to left leading off the sixth and Kyle Cessna, as a pinch hitter for Henning, crushed an RBI double to the fence in center and Malcook hit a sacrifice fly to knock in a run and cap the scoring.
"I think we just did a better job of executing," Burandt said of hitting with runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh. "People just clutched up. Kyle Cessna came through with a big hit driving the ball to the fence. People came into their spots and did what they are supposed to do."
Albany (4-10) didn't have many scoring opportunities. A double by Scheidegger in the second and a single by Cody Schulz in the sixth were the squad's only hits. Albany finished 0 for 8 hitting with runners in scoring position and stranded four runners.
"It's frustrating to end the season with a loss," Albany coach Brian Dahl said. "We will get better."
Albany's Boomer Detra started the game, but he lasted just two innings after battling some wildness. Detra walked the first two batters and then hit two straight batters in the first inning to help Monroe jump out to a 1-0 lead.
"One of our problems all year has been the walks," Dahl said. "The walks just kill you."
Scheidegger pitched four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. He struck out four, walked four and hit one.
Monroe hosts McFarland on Friday and then gear up for the regional tournament at Janesville July 20-24. Monroe will play the Kenosha Merchants, who are ranked seventh, at 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 20.
The Senior Legion baseball season is over for Albany. However, Dahl looks to build off of two wins against Evansville and wins against Milton and Fort Atkinson.
"This year was halfway decent because we competed with everybody," he said.
