Dramatic night in Monroe baseball tournament

After an idle Wednesday, the Monroe Youth League tournaments resumed on Thursday night with close games that came down to the wire to determine who would advance and would be eliminated.

Those still in the winners bracket enjoyed the luxury of an extended break, not returning to the diamond until Monday.

Teams who already suffered a defeat in the postseason were back on the field on a cool, gray Thursday with a win required to stay in the competition.

The Little League division saw one game decided by a single run and an impressive display later in the evening.

Brickhouse and Monroe Grain went back-and-forth all game, but Brickhouse advanced after a late stand. Monroe Grain moved the tying run to third base, but Brickhouse closed the door in the bottom of the sixth to advance.

The second game was never in serious doubt. Peterson Grain jumped out to a big lead early over DDS and won comfortably, 15-5.

Brickhouse and Peterson Grain will fight to extend their season again when they face one another on Monday night.

The winner of that contest will play Tuesday against the loser of the earlier game on Monday between Lifers and Farmers & Merchants.

Must-win situations were also faced by the Minor League division squads who were in action on Thursday.

Johnson’s Auto pulled away from Northwestern Mutual for a 7-4 win to face First Bank of Berne- the winners of the second game of the night against Colquest, 5-1- on Monday night.

The winner will play Tuesday against the loser between Krueckeberg and Miz Lehman who will start the night.

Championship games for both divisions will be played on Thursday night.

Under the rules of the double-elimination format, whoever gets through the losers bracket will have to beat the last remaining team from the winners bracket twice.

If a second game is needed to decide the tournament winners, that game will be held on Thursday shortly after the conclusion of the first contest.