Following a 2-4 start to the season, the Valmeyer Lakers won three games at home over the weekend to move above .500 in Mon-Clair League baseball action. 

Friday night under the lights at Borsch Park, the Lakers won 8-4 over the Waterloo Buds. Matt Helm went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Elijah Miller added a hit and two RBIs.

On Sunday, Valmeyer hosted the league newcomer Godfrey Hamm’s. 

In game one, the Lakers survived with a 2-1 win. Lefthanded starter Jacob Thompson pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and was helped on offense by two hits each from Cole Juelfs, Trevor Davis and Kameron Hanvey. 

Game two on Sunday was less stressful as the Lakers won 8-1. Brady Biffar, also a lefty, struck out four over four innings for the mound victory. Hanvey, Biffar’s former Gibault teammate, went 3-for-5 with a run. Trevor Davis and Evan Davis each collected two hits.

Up next for Valmeyer is a Friday night contest at home against the Belleville Rockies, followed by a Sunday doubleheader at home against Waterloo. 

Helm is the top hitter thus far for the Lakers at .474 (9-for-19) with nine RBIs. Hanvey is next at .454 (15-for-33).

The Millstadt Green Machine remains the team to beat in the Mon-Clair League at 7-1 on the season.

Millstadt split a Sunday doubleheader with Belleville, falling 1-0 and winning 5-4.

In game one, Jevon Boyd’s RBI single in the first inning gave Belleville an early lead it would not relinquish as Brayden Knoebel pitched a five-hit shutout for the Rockies. 

Cal Kossina had two hits for Millstadt.

In game two, Millstadt picked up a one-run victory in eight innings after Belleville tied it in the bottom of the seventh. Mike Hardin smacked a three-run homer for the Rockies. 

Joey Kossina went 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead Millstadt.

Millstadt hosts the St. Louis Spikes this Wednesday night, then hosts the Spikes again for a Sunday doubleheader.

Leading the offense for the Green Machine is Brian Lupa, who is tops in the league in hitting at .520 (13-for-25) with six RBIs. Cal Kossina is hitting .360, with Joey Kossina at .346.

Millstadt also has the top pitcher in the league currently, as Josh Dima sports a 0.00 ERA over eight innings. Andrew Yancik (1-1, 2.10 ERA in 10 innings) has also pitched well. 

Waterloo (1-4) had its Sunday doubleheader against the Spikes rained out. The Buds host winless Godfrey this Friday night before traveling Sunday to Valmeyer. 

The top hitter for Waterloo so far this summer is Alex Schreckenberg at .400 (6-for-15) with four stolen bases. The former Columbia High School baseball standout hit .351 with 12 doubles and 29 stolen bases this spring at Lewis & Clark Community College.

Leading the Waterloo pitching staff is another CHS grad, southpaw Brady Mathews, with a 3.50 ERA over eight innings.