The Waterloo Millers inched closer to .500 with a winning weekend as the Valmeyer Lakers were swept and the Millstadt Green Machine were rained out in Mon-Clair League baseball action. 

The Millers (5-6) dropped a 5-2 game against the St. Louis Printers on Friday. Nick Glaser took the loss on the mound, going six innings in the nine-inning contest.

Braeden Dobbs hit a first-inning home run for the Millers. 

The results were different on Sunday, however. Waterloo won 7-6 and 7-1 at home over the Southeast Missouri Tropics. 

In the 7-6 win, leadoff hitter Nate Albrecht went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI as the Millers plated in four runs on three hits in the sixth inning to take control of the contest. 

Grant Jausel picked up the mound victory. 

In the 7-1 victory, the Millers scored four runs in the first inning. Albrecht had two doubles and two runs, and Gus Purschke went 3-for-3.  Adam Goss hit a pair of doubles and had three RBIs.

Veteran pitcher Andy Galle picked up the win for Waterloo, throwing five shutout innings with seven strikeouts and just three hits allowed.

Keegan Baxmeyer leads the Waterloo offense so far this summer, hitting .435 with seven RBIs.

Matt McGilvary, a southpaw, has been the top pitcher for the Millers, going 1-0 with a 1.47 ERA.

Waterloo hosts the Cape Girardeau Capahas for a doubleheader this Sunday at SPPS Field. 

The Lakers (7-3) dropped both games of a Sunday doubleheader at home to the St. Louis Spikes. 

In the first game, Valmeyer took a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning before falling 4-2. Philip Reinhardt threw four shutout innings before Zach Becherer took the loss in relief.

The Lakers were held to just four hits off Spikes hurler Trae Lee, who threw a complete game. Ethan Ruff went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases to lead the Lakers.

In the second game, Valmeyer plated three runs in the first inning but a four-run sixth by the Spikes propelled them to a 7-5 win for the twinbill sweep.

Trevor Davis went 3-for-3 with a run to pace Valmeyer’s offensive attack. Ruff, Logan Mueth and Cole Juelfs added two hits apiece for the Lakers.

Jakob Rhoderick took the loss for Valmeyer.

Ruff leads the Lakers in hitting at .531, which is good for second in the Mon-Clair League. He also has 11 RBIs. 

Easton Wallace (.500) and Matt Reinholz (.423) are other top hitters for the Lakers.

Reinhardt leads Valmeyer’s pitching staff at 4-0 with a 2.47 ERA.

The Lakers host Cape Girardeau this Saturday at 2 p.m., and then host the St. Louis Printers for a Sunday doubleheader.

The Green Machine had their Sunday doubleheader against the St. Louis Printers rained out, so they remain at 5-3 on the season.

Millstadt plays a nine-inning contest Saturday against the Southeast Missouri Tropics in Oak Ridge, Mo. The Green Machine play two against the St. Louis Spikes this Sunday at Fox High School in Arnold, Mo.

Jack Toenjes leads Millstadt in hitting this season at .429 with six RBIs.

Midsummer Classic

Following a year hiatus due to COVID, the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic returns to Borsch Park with games Saturday through Monday, July 3-5.

Read a preview of the tournament and see a full bracket in next week’s paper.