Waterloo’s Brad Dillenberger drops down a bunt during a recent game. (Alan Dooley photo)

With last year’s tournament being washed out, local Mon-Clair League teams are especially excited to play what is regarded as the crown jewel of the summer baseball season this weekend at Borsch Park in Valmeyer.

“It should be a fun few days of baseball,” longtime Valmeyer Lakers manager Dennis “Boog” Pieper said.

The 46th annual Valmeyer Midsummer Classic begins Saturday morning and continues with games through Tuesday afternoon.

The Waterloo Millers kick off the tourney Saturday with a 9 a.m. contest against the St. Louis Printers. The Millstadt Green Machine takes on the St. Louis Spikes at 2 p.m., followed by Valmeyer vs. Belleville at 4:30 p.m. For the full tourney bracket, see page 2B.

Waterloo enters the tourney with the league’s best record at 12-2. The Millers swept a Saturday doubleheader against Edwardsville and split Sunday’s twin bill with the Spikes.

The Millers lead the Monroe Division by 2.5 games over Belleville (9-3). Fairview Heights and the St. Louis Spikes lead the St. Clair Division with identical records of 11-3.

On Saturday, Waterloo won 14-5 and 5-0 against Edwardsville. Outfielder Fahd Shakeel, who played at Edwardsville High School and Parkland Junior College, went 5-for-7 with five runs scored on the day for the Millers.

Chandler Purcell went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Keegan Baxmeyer went 2-for-5 with four RBIs in the game one victory.
In game two, Ben Klostermeier struck out six in a complete game shutout. Brad Dillenberger went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base.

On Sunday, Millers ace Andy Galle suffered his first loss of the year in an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the Spikes. Baxmeyer and Purcell each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in that game.

In game two, a three-run fifth inning boosted the Millers to a 7-4 win. Baxmeyer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Mitchell Krebs went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Nick Hummel threw four innings for the victory.

Cory Lubinski leads Waterloo in hitting this summer at .516 with five home runs and 22 RBIs, followed by Baxmeyer at .459 with two homers and eight RBIs. Dillenberger is hitting .433 with a team-leading 14 runs scored. Lucas Wetzler is hitting .386 with 14 RBIs.

Also winning three of four games over the weekend were the Valmeyer Lakers, who swept a Saturday doubleheader at Columbia and split Sunday’s twin bill with Fairview Heights.

Mitch Meyer was the offensive star for the Lakers (6-10), going 7-for-14 with three doubles and five RBIs over the four games.

In game one on Saturday, Meyer, Cameron Touchette and Jeremiah Bergheger collected two hits each in a 6-2 win over the Saints. Jacob Hill struck out five in five innings for the victory.

In game two, Justin Lilly and John Wuelling each went 2-for-3 and Lilly picked up the mound victory with two innings of relief in a 9-6 win. Wes Degener went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Touchette added a hit, two stolen bases and two runs.

On Sunday, the Lakers pulled off an 11-10 victory in game one over Fairview Heights before dropping the second game, 10-5. Meyer went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs and Bergheger and AJ Skaer added two RBIs each. Blake Meyer picked up the win with two solid innings of relief pitching.

Zach Mathews went 1-for-2 with a run in the second game. Ian Miller took the loss on the mound.

Matt Reinholz leads the Lakers in hitting at .500 with 13 RBIs, followed by Wuelling at .421 with 10 runs and nine stolen bases, Mitch Meyer at .396 with 14 runs, and Degener at .320.

Millstadt is 5-7 in league play entering the Midsummer Classic after splitting two games with the St. Louis Printers on Sunday.

The Green Machine posted an 18-13 win and dropped a 9-3 contest.

Mitch Matecki went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs in the win, with Cal Kossina, Jacob Wilson and Rob Beatty each collecting two hits and three RBIs.

Beatty homered in the loss, with both Cal and Tony Kossina collecting two hits apiece.

Millstadt still packs its usual offensive firepower, but the pitching has not been up to par as of yet. Starting pitchers Parker

Beine and Otto Roberts each have records of 2-1, but their ERAs are both above 4.50.

Beatty leads the Green Machine in hitting at .422 with 14 RBIs, followed by Alex Quirin at .379 with 11 RBIs, Tony Kossina at .366 with 10 runs and Cal Kossina at .326 with 12 runs.

Following Saturday’s pair of losses to Valmeyer at Klenschmidt Field, the Columbia Saints (1-15) dropped both games of a doubleheader against Edwardsville on Sunday.

Tyler Kleinschmidt (.429) and Jake Milosch (.412) lead the Saints in hitting, with pitcher Corey Browne owning the staff’s lone mound victory.