Elk Mound Millers finish 2-0 for the week

by Don Stuckert

The Elk Mound Millers 16U American Legion Baseball picked up a pair victories in league play last week, defeating Eau Claire Purple and Eau Claire Blue.

Eau Claire Purple

The Millers hosted Eau Claire Purple (ECP) on Tuesday and came away with a 13-4 victory. The game was closely contested until the bottom of the sixth, when The Millers put up seven runs to break the game open.

ECP opened the game by scoring three runs in the top of the first off starting Pitcher, Brayden Borek.  The Millers quickly countered with four of their own in the bottom of the inning. After the first three runners reached base, Kaden Moyer grounded out to plate the Millers first run.  Brayden Borek followed with a booming triple over the Center Fielder’s head to score two more. Borek would later score on a passed ball.

Elk Mound added single tallies in the second and fourth innings, while the Millers pitchers would combine to hold ECP to a single run the rest of the game.  After a strike out to lead of the inning in the bottom of the sixth, the Millers quickly loaded the bases on a triple by Ian Gerrits followed by a walk and a hit batter. After a pop-out to first for the second out, the Miller came up with five straight hits, highlighted by Gavin Dean’s two-run single and Will Thatcher’s double.

Borek started the game and worked three innings on the mound allowing four runs (two earned), two hits, while walking three and striking out five. Dean pitched a clean last four innings, allowing four hits and striking out two.

Eau Claire Blue

The Millers traveled to Mt. Simon in Eau Claire and came away with 6-4 victory vs. Eau Claire Blue (ECB) on Thursday night.

ECB jumped to a quick 3-0 lead after one inning, but the Millers countered with three of their own in the top of the 2nd to even the score. ECB added a single tally in the second, but that would end their scoring for the night, as Mason Books came on to shut the door, keeping them off the board for the remainder of the game. 

The Millers added two runs in 4th and a single tally in the 5th, which proved to be enough offense for the win.

Books picked up the win on the Mound, working the final four innings. He gave up two hits, walked two and struck out six.  “Mason pitched a whale of a game out of the bullpen”, said Miller’s coach Don Stuckert. “He pretty much shut them down for the final four innings of the game.”

Books was also 2/3 at the plate, while Brayden Borek tripled and Jace Peterson added a double.

With the victory, the Millers season record now sits at 7-1.