The hard work from the Maunesha River Rats in the 2024 Dairyland Collegiate League season is paying off. Waterloo's team was well-represented in the league's all-star game, hosted at Waterloo Firemen's Park on Thursday, July 11.
Nine River Rats in all made the cut, Lincoln Becker (NIAAC), Jackson Hunley (Lewis University), Nick Guidici (Parkland College), Jaiden Jung (Milwaukee Area Tech), Luke Klekamp (Milwaukee Area Tech), James Love (Eastern Illinois University), Connor Greuel (Southeastern College), Austin Olla (UW-La Crosse), and Alek Zdziarski (Edgewood College).
The league split all of the all-stars into two teams to face off head-to-head, Team Yellow and Team Green. Becker, Greuel, Guidici, Jung, Klekamp, Olla, and Zdziarski were all on Team Yellow while Hunley and Love repped Team Green. Team Green would prevail over Team Yellow 13-7.
With the all-star festivities behind them, the River Rats regrouped for their next game, a trip to Johnson Creek to face the Mapaches on Saturday, July 13. Maunesha entered the game riding high, having won six of its last seven. Despite building an early 6-2 lead, Maunesha would surrender five runs in the bottom of the third inning to eventually take a 10-8 loss.
Love and Danny Bentivegna (Edgewood College) were vital parts of the batting order on the day, both going 2-4 with two RBIs. Included in Love's two hits was a double. Jung, Guidici, and Bradyn Horn (UW-Milwaukee) all connected on doubles in the game, as well. Guidici also hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI. John Hadley VI (UW-Milwaukee) drove in the team's sixth and final RBI.
Maunesha was scheduled to take on the Waukesha Foxes in a home doubleheader on Sunday, July 14, but both games were postponed due to heavy rain. Instead, the River Rats will look to get back on track with a trip to the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Tuesday, July 16 to face the Northshore Bobbers.
That game begins the final run-up for the postseason for Maunesha. To close the regular season, the River Rats will travel to Lakeside to face the Beach Bums on Wednesday, July 17, play the Mapaches in Johnson Creek again on Friday, July 19, then turn around and host the Mapaches on Monday, July 22 for the season closer.
The DCL playoffs kick off on Wednesday, July 24. All six teams in the league will qualify, but seeding will be important. All teams will be trying to avoid the Lakeside Beach Bums, which have already claimed the regular season title at 17-4.
Spots 2-5 are still largely up for grabs behind the Beach Bums. As it stands now, Maunesha is in fourth at 10-12. They're just barely behind Waukesha in second (10-9) and Northshore in third (11-11). They'll have to watch out for Johnson Creek, though, who's nipping at their heels at 9-13.
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Dairyland Collegiate League standings
-as of Sunday, July 14
1. Lakeside, 17-4
2. Waukesha, 10-9
3. Northshore, 11-11
4. Maunesha, 10-12
5. Johnson Creek, 9-13
6. Cheese Kings, 7-15
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