There’s breathing room in the Monroe Division of the Mon-Clair League following a doubleheader sweep by the Millstadt Green Machine over the rival Waterloo Millers on Sunday.

Millstadt won 12-4 and 6-4 at home over the Millers, giving the Green Machine (8-2) a three-game division lead over Waterloo (5-5).

In the first game, Millstadt plated three runs in the first inning, four more in the third and five in the sixth against a Waterloo pitching staff depleted by injuries.

The Kossina brothers struck again for the Green Machine. Cal Kossina picked up his fourth mound victory of the summer. Tony Kossina (3-for-3, two RBIs, two runs) and Joey Kossina (2-for-4, triple, two RBIs) did plenty of damage at the plate.

Will Lanxon also got into the act for Millstadt, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs.

For the Millers, Drake Downing took the loss on the mound and Ty Kueper led the offense with two hits.

In the second game, Millstadt scored twice in the first inning on a home run by Austin Francis. Lanxon continued his hot offensive day with a two-run single as part of Millstadt’s four-run sixth inning.

Joey Kossina went 3-for-3, upping his league-leading average on the season to .621. Tony Kossina is right behind him at .545 on the season.

Todd Muser took the loss on the mound for Waterloo.

The leading hitter for the Millers this season is Ethan Ruff at .400 with six RBIs.

The Millers will try to get back above .500 as they play the Fairview Heights Redbirds on the road this Sunday.

The Redbirds (2-6) swept the Valmeyer Lakers (3-7) at Borsch Park on Sunday, winning 12-9 and 11-5. 

In the first game, Fairview Heights clung to a 6-5 lead before plating a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Both teams scored four runs in the seventh.

Jacob Hill led the Lakers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base and two RBIs. Joe Range added two hits and two RBIs. Tim Reinholz took the loss on the hill.

Blake Wolferding went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Redbirds offense.

In game two, Wolferding went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and Mason Mayberry threw a complete game and also homered in a Redbirds win.

A seven-run third by the Redbirds doomed the Lakers in this contest.

Easton Wallace and Kyle Becker collected two hits apiece for Valmeyer and Philip Reinhardt took the loss on the mound.

Things don’t get any easier for the Lakers, who host Millstadt for two games this Sunday afternoon.

Cole Juelfs leads the Lakers in hitting at .375 with six RBIs.

In the St. Clair Division, the Cape Girardeau Capahas are a perfect 10-0 entering a Sunday twinbill against the St. Louis Spikes.

For more pictures from the game, available for purchase as print or digital download, click here.