Cardinals baseball struggles offensively at season’s end

BECKY MALKOW PHOTO The Independent-Register
Catcher Connor Green squeezes a third strike for an out in the game against Monroe last week.

By Trenten Scheidegger, Correspondent

The Brodhead-Juda varsity baseball program finished their 2021 season with an overall record of 5-15 and a 4-14 record in Rock Valley Conference play. The Cardinals’ season saw more losing streaks than it did winning streaks, as the team won back-to-back games just one time all year. Their last win of the season came in walk-off fashion in a 5-4 win over Big Foot on June 1.  Following their fifth victory of the year, the Cardinals dropped five consecutive games to close out the regular season.

One of their last games of the year was a June 7 matchup with the Monroe Cheesemakers. At the time, the game seemed like a typical non-conference game.  This late season matchup held more importance than that, however, as these teams would face off in a postseason matchup, just days later.

Monroe was in control of their regular season matchup from start to finish. The Cheesemakers got off to an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.  The Cards would not crack the scoreboard until the top of the third when Brady Malkow hit a single to right field, driving in Connor Green to score. Monroe would quickly expand their lead again, however, with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and an added insurance run in the fifth.

Pick up the June 16th print edition for full story….