Junker Hits Three Homeruns Against the Monarchs

Merik Junker blasted off three homeruns in the Firechiefs’ game on the road against Castlewood on Sunday, July 2. Junker, the youngest player on the Milbank team, went 4-7 with 6 RBIs, but the Firechiefs were edged out by the Monarchs 17-16 in a match-up full of fireworks.

Mitch Quade got Milbank’s offense started in the top of the second. He led off with a single to center. Merik Junker and Brady Femling each followed  with a single to load the bases. Tyler Krause reached on a fielder’s choice to score Quade and Junker. It was all tied up at 2-2.The Monarchs added four runs to take the lead at 6-2, but Milbank’s Brady Krause launched a solo homerun to left field to put another scratch in the scoring column for the Firechiefs.

Milbank also pushed a run across in the fourth when Femling reached first on an error, stole second and third, and took it to the barn on a single to left by T. Krause. The scoreboard moved to  6-4.In the top of the fifth, B. Krause reached on an error, and Junker hit his first of three homeruns to left. The Firechiefs pulled closer at 8-6. Milbank momentarily held the lead in the top of the sixth by putting up six runs. T. Krause reached on an error and Mikey Karges and Taylor Boerger each hit a bunt single to load the bases. Kaden Krause then tied the game at 8-8 with a two-RBI single to center to score T. Krause and Karges. B. Krause singled to left to bring home Boerger and give the Firechiefs a 9-8 lead.

Junker’s second homer of the day came on another shot to left field. He also scored K. Krause and B. Krause and pushed Milbank’s lead to 12-8.Castlewood had regained the lead at 16-12 by the seventh inning, when Boerger hit a two-out single and  K. Krause followed with a walk. Hoeke loaded the bases with a single to left. Boerger scored on a wild pitch to inch the Firechiefs closer at 16-13. The Monarchs added one to their total to make it 17-13.

Milbank chipped away at the deficit in the eighth. Junker hit his third homerun of the afternoon on a solo shot to left field to put the score at 17-14. T. Krause then reached on an error, and Karges scored him with a single to right field. The Firechiefs trailed by just two at 17-15.In the top of the ninth, Milbank got close — oh, so close– Femling hit a sacrifice fly to score Hoeke and threaten the Monarchs at 17-16, but that run ended their scoring rally and the game.