The defending champion Millstadt Green Machine moved ahead in the Monroe Division of the Mon-Clair League by virtue of two wins Sunday combined with two losses by the Waterloo Millers.

Millstadt (6-2) won 4-2 and 7-0 over the St. Louis Spikes on Sunday thanks in large part to the Kossina brothers. 

Ace righthander Cal Kossina improved to 3-0 on the season with another complete game mound victory. 

Following a three-run first inning by the Green Machine, the Spikes got back in the game with a pair of runs in the fifth. Millstadt scored an insurance run in the sixth, though, and made it hold up. 

Joey Kossina, who is hitting .636 on the season, went 2-for-2 with a triple and two runs. John Hilpert added two hits and two RBIs.

In game two, Millstadt plated four in the first inning and never looked back. Tony Kossina, who is hitting .518 this season, went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Cal Kossina added two hits.

Austin Francis and Will Lanxon each contributed three hits and two RBIs for the Green Machine in the win. Logan Boente threw five shutout innings with 10 strikeouts.

The wins gave Millstadt a one-game lead in the Monroe Division entering a Sunday matchup at home against the second place Waterloo Millers. First pitch is at 1:30 p.m.

Waterloo (5-3) lost 11-8 and 8-5 at home Sunday to St. Clair Division leader Cape Girardeau (8-0). 

The Capahas led 2-0 into the sixth inning before Waterloo plated four. Cape Girardeau answered with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Waterloo scored four in the top of the seventh, only to see Cape Girardeau win in walk-off fashion via a three-run homer by Landon Tenkhoff.

Millers outfielder Ethan Ruff went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs. Ty Kueper went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run.

A six-run fourth inning doomed the Millers in game two. Capahas pitcher Brennan White relieved in the fifth inning and held the lead, striking out four in two and one-third innings. 

Mitchell Krebs went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Millers.

Ruff leads Waterloo in hitting this season at .429. Lefty starter Matt McGilvray is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 14 strikeouts on the mound.

The Valmeyer Lakers split a Sunday doubleheader against the Belleville Rockies.

Valmeyer (3-5) dropped a 2-1 extra-inning contest in the opener. Lefty starter Philip Reinhardt allowed just one earned run over six innings with seven strikeouts but picked up a no decision. Trevor Davis and Riley McCarthy each went 2-for-4 at the plate.

The second game proved to be the most entertaining of the weekend, with the Lakers emerging victorious in extra innings. 

Belleville led 10-0 into the sixth inning, only to see Valmeyer tie it at 10-10 in the seventh and eventually win 11-10 in eight innings.

Davis continued his hot day at the plate by going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and five RBIs. Matt Reinholz went 2-for-4 and Brendan Wilhelm picked up the pitching win with three and one-third innings of relief.

Cole Juelfs leads the Lakers in hitting this season at .458 with five RBIs.

Valmeyer hosts Fairview Heights (0-6) for a Sunday doubleheader that begins at 1:30 p.m.