The Mon-Clair League returned to regular season action this past weekend, but rain limited the amount of baseball to be played.

After going 0-2 in the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic over the July 4 holiday, the Waterloo Millers returned to the win column on Saturday. 

Waterloo (6-6) edged the Southeast Missouri Tropics, 6-5. The Millers plated two runs in the eighth inning to emerge victorious.

Keegan Baxmeyer went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases to lead Waterloo’s offense. He is the team’s top hitter this summer at .444 with 10 RBIs.

Tom Purschke went 3-for-5, including the go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth. Ty Kueper also went 3-for-5 for the Millers.

Waterloo plays Friday night at the Cape Girardeau Capahas before hosting the Belleville Rockies for a Sunday doubleheader. 

Matt McGilvray, a southpaw, leads Waterloo’s pitching staff with a record of 1-0 and an ERA of 1.29.

Meanwhile, the Millstadt Green Machine continued the positive momentum gained by winning the Midsummer Classic crown the weekend before, winning two regular season games last week.

On Thursday, Millstadt (9-3) won 6-1 over the St. Louis Printers. A four-run sixth inning propelled the Green Machine to victory.

Brett Bunselmeyer, Cal Kossina and Joey Kossina collected two hits apiece and Logan Weaver threw four solid innings for the mound victory.

On Saturday, the Green Machine blasted the Printers, 18-0. An eight-run first inning put Millstadt well ahead early.

Tony Kossina, the team’s table setter, went 5-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs. Cal Kossina went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Garrett Herring threw five shutout innings. 

The second game of Saturday’s doubleheader between Millstadt and the Printers was halted due to rain with the score tied 1-1 in the third inning. The two teams resumed play in this game on Tuesday, with Millstadt winning 4-3. John Hilpert had a walk-off hit in the seventh inning.

Millstadt hosts the St. Louis Spikes for a Saturday doubleheader and then hosts Valmeyer for a Sunday doubleheader.

Tony Kossina leads the Green Machine in hitting at .429 with 11 runs, followed by Cal Kossina at .395. Mac Grant leads the pitching staff at 3-1 with a 3.84 ERA.

The Valmeyer Lakers (9-3) were washed out of action both Saturday and Sunday. Valmeyer led 2-1 in the third inning Saturday against the Spikes before the game was halted.

Valmeyer will continue a previously suspended game against the Printers this Saturday and then play a second game. On Sunday, the Lakers play two at Millstadt in a key Monroe Division battle. 

Leading the way on offense for the Lakers is Trevor Davis, who leads the entire league in hitting at .609. Easton Wallace, who is hitting .500, is out for the season due to injury. Other key hitters for the Lakers are Ethan Ruff (.488) and Logan Mueth (.474).

Valmeyer’s pitching staff is led by Philip Reinhardt, who is 5-0 with a 2.28 ERA.

All-Star Game

The Mon-Clair League All-Star Game takes place 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, at Whitey Herzog Field in Belleville, with several locals selected to participate.

Valmeyer’s Philip Reinhardt was named the starting pitcher of the Monroe Division squad.

Others named to the All-Star team include Valmeyer’s Matt Reinholz, Trevor Davis, Ethan Ruff, Jakob Rhoderick, Cole Juelfs, Luke Gasser, Drake Downing and John Wuelling, Waterloo’s Keegan Baxmeyer, Matt McGilvray and Trey Kueper, and Millstadt’s Austin Francis, Tony Kossina, Jack Toenjes, Mac Grant, Luke Vallandingham and Cal Kossina.

The league’s Illinois teams (Monroe Division) will battle all-stars from the Missouri teams (St. Clair Division).