The Valmeyer Lakers hosted the Waterloo Millers at Borsch Memorial Park on Sunday in a battle of the top two teams in the Mon-Clair League’s Monroe Division. The games lived up to the hype, with both going right down to the wire.

Valmeyer got on the board first with a run in the second, but the Millers tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third on an RBI from Nick Dunning.

Both teams had some good scoring chances over the next three innings, but good defense and strong pitching from Waterloo’s Brandon Musso and Valmeyer’s Adam Bieber kept the game 1-1 heading into the seventh.

The Millers loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on a single by Eduardo Oquendo and walks to Brad Dillenberger and L.J. Watson, bringing Justin Dunning to the plate with a chance to give Waterloo the lead. Dunning delivered the hit of the game, sending the ball just over the leftfield fence for a grand slam and a 5-1 Millers lead.

Musso set the Lakers down in order in the bottom of the seventh to give Waterloo the win and Musso’s 100th career victory.

“It’s been a long time… 17 seasons in the league, all with the Millers. I missed one season with an injury, so 16 really. A lot of good years. I started in ’98 as a freshman in college and (I’m) still going,” Musso said after the milestone win. “I have always been a starter, but the last three or four years I went to the bullpen because that’s where we needed the help. But with Corey Blackwell gone, I was able to move back into a starting role, so I’ve kind of done it in a multitude of ways.”

Dunning struck again in game two, putting the Millers up 1-0 in the second inning with his second home run of the day.

Waterloo added to its lead in the third. After back-to-back hit batsmen put runners on first and second, Nick Dunning sent a ball over the fence in left for a three-run homer and 4-0 Waterloo lead.

The Lakers took advantage of a few lucky bounces, a passed ball and some timely hitting in the bottom of the third to cut into the Millers’ lead, pushing three runs across to make it 4-3.

Waterloo added a little cushion in the fourth on an RBI from Watson to go up 5-3. The Millers had runners on first and third with one out in the fifth and again in the seventh, but could not get the key hit they needed to add to their lead.

The Lakers made the game interesting in the bottom of the seventh. After back-to-back singles, Adam Kunkle drove in a run to cut the Millers’ lead to 5-4.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Waterloo starter Jon Auble struck out Dylan Skinner to get the win and give the Millers the doubleheader sweep. Auble leads the league in pitching at 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA.

“Its nice to come down here and get two. It’s never easy, and it separates us a little in the conference, so that’s big,” Millers coach Mark Vogel said. “Musso and Auble both threw the ball very well today and that’s kind of what has carried us this summer. We have a nice three-to- four man rotation and they keep us in every ballgame.”

Waterloo (14-2) hosts Valmeyer (9-7) Wednesday night, hosts Fairview Heights on Friday night and hosts the St. Louis Printers for two games on Sunday.

Defending Monroe Division champion Millstadt has climbed back into the hunt after a slow start to the season. The VFW

(10-6) took both games Sunday at Mueth Field from the visiting Belleville Rockies (5-11) to jump into second place in the division — one game ahead of Valmeyer and four back of Waterloo.

Millstadt took game one, 11-4, and held on for a tough 8-7 win in game two. Caleb Tatum (3-1, 1.08 ERA) continues to pitch well for the VFW.

Millstadt hosts Valmeyer for two games on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the young Columbia Saints (4-12) played four games over the weekend, taking two from the St. Louis Printers on Saturday by the same 7-0 score.

On Sunday, the Saints faced the St. Clair Division leading St. Louis Spikes (14-2). Columbia dropped game one, 9-0, and lost the second game, 8-1.

At the halfway point of the season, the Saints have already equaled last year’s win total and have been very competitive on the field with many of their losses coming in very close games. Patrick Davis leads the team in hitting at .321.

Columbia plays at Belleville on Sunday.