BEAVER DAM - The Monroe baseball team hung tough with Beaver Dam for four innings before a five-run outburst put the Cheesemakers in a hole they would not get out off, eventually falling to the Golden Beavers 8-0.
The Cheesemakers started the game off on the right foot, with a leadoff double by Mitch Riese. Monroe could not put any runs on the board, though, and Beaver Dam answered with runs in the bottom of the first and second innings to take the early lead.
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said the hot start got off track thanks in part to the pickoff move by Beaver Dam's lefty starter Sam White.
"It started off well," Huffman said. "White had a good move to first. It was one of those moves that is close to a balk. Any time you get a leadoff double, you gotta score."
White went the distance for the Golden Beavers, allowing five hits while striking out 11 and walking 3. Monroe's Ryan Erickson took the loss, tossing the first four innings. He allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking two.
Much of the damage against Erickson came in the fourth inning, which was punctuated by a three-run home run by Beaver Dam's Bryce Schmitt. "He's their best player," Huffman said. "He's a good hitter."
Logan Weckerly pitched the final three innings for Monroe, allowing one run on three hits while walking three and striking out five.
Kevin Klopfenstein led the Cheesemakers in hits, with two. Riese and Chase Hellenbrand both went 1-for-3, and Isaiah Siemers chipped in with a double in his only at bat.
Another positive for the Cheesemakers was limiting their errors - a recurring issue all season long - to just two Monday.
"The two errors ... weren't too big," Huffman said. "Tonight it was better. Right now it's a confidence thing. And it's not letting those mistakes pile on top of each other."
Huffman said the fact that his team was able to compete with Beaver Dam until the fourth inning should give his players some confidence.
"I told them after the game tonight that for the most part we played a pretty clean game," Huffman said. "They didn't play all that bad, we just tend to come out a little bit flat."
Huffman said he hopes to continue building on that confidence in Monroe's last Badger South game of the year Tuesday, May 21 against Stoughton, who is still alive in the conference race.
"We kind of planted the seed that Stoughton still has something to play for," Huffman said of keeping his players competitive. "(We're) just trying to build their confidence that they're a good team."
Monticello 5, New Glarus 2
NEW GLARUS - The Monticello baseball team collected its first win of the season, with one game to go in the regular season before the start of the regional playoffs.
Bryce Klitzke started on the mound for the Ponies, pitching seven innings. He allowed two earned runs on three hits while striking out four and walking one.
New Glarus' Kyle Larson took the loss. He pitched seven innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out eight and walking one.
Monticello coach Scott White said his team was a little bit more reserved than he, in their excitement to get the first win.
"It was hard to control my excitement," White said. "I'm not a big fan of losing, so it's nice to get the monkey off the back. I'm sure it was nice for the players to go to New Glarus and take one from those guys, because they know them so well."
Tyler Pusel led Monticello offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Aaron Hefty finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Jake Pusel chipped in with a hit and two RBI.
White said he is hoping to build on Monday's win in their last regular season game, before the Ponies (1-18) roll into the regional playoffs.
"Hopefully going into the regionals we can gain some momentum ... and see what happens," he said.
Monticello will play at River Ridge Tuesday, May 21, before opening regional play at Albany Friday, May 24.
The Ponies are familiar with Albany, having played the Six River East Conference rival twice already this season. White said their most recent meeting was close, so he's looking forward to playing them again.
"I think (Albany's) a team that we match up with alright and you never know what happens," he said. "We're excited to see what we can do."
Potosi 8, Pecatonica 2
Potosi 9, Pecatonica 4
BLANCHARDVILLE -Pecatonica was plagued by errors and Potosi swept a non-conference doubleheader from the Vikings.
Potosi scored six runs in the third inning on just one hit. The Vikings (9-11, 7-9 Six Rivers East) committed two of their three errors in the third and walked three.
"We didn't play very well defensively," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said.
Pecatonica junior Lucas McKeon pitched 2 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, but just one earned run. He struck out three and walked three. Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief and gave up three unearned runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked one.
In the second game, the Chieftains scored three runs in the second inning and four in the third to take a 7-2 lead. Four of Potosi's nine hits were doubles.
"They hit the ball better," Strommen said. "Our pitchers struggled. When (we) left the ball up, they hit the ball hard."
Schliem went 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings on offense.
Pecatonica's Tyler Hodgson pitched two innings and gave up four earned runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked three. Chase Norton pitched two innings in relief and gave up two earned runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one.
The Cheesemakers started the game off on the right foot, with a leadoff double by Mitch Riese. Monroe could not put any runs on the board, though, and Beaver Dam answered with runs in the bottom of the first and second innings to take the early lead.
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said the hot start got off track thanks in part to the pickoff move by Beaver Dam's lefty starter Sam White.
"It started off well," Huffman said. "White had a good move to first. It was one of those moves that is close to a balk. Any time you get a leadoff double, you gotta score."
White went the distance for the Golden Beavers, allowing five hits while striking out 11 and walking 3. Monroe's Ryan Erickson took the loss, tossing the first four innings. He allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking two.
Much of the damage against Erickson came in the fourth inning, which was punctuated by a three-run home run by Beaver Dam's Bryce Schmitt. "He's their best player," Huffman said. "He's a good hitter."
Logan Weckerly pitched the final three innings for Monroe, allowing one run on three hits while walking three and striking out five.
Kevin Klopfenstein led the Cheesemakers in hits, with two. Riese and Chase Hellenbrand both went 1-for-3, and Isaiah Siemers chipped in with a double in his only at bat.
Another positive for the Cheesemakers was limiting their errors - a recurring issue all season long - to just two Monday.
"The two errors ... weren't too big," Huffman said. "Tonight it was better. Right now it's a confidence thing. And it's not letting those mistakes pile on top of each other."
Huffman said the fact that his team was able to compete with Beaver Dam until the fourth inning should give his players some confidence.
"I told them after the game tonight that for the most part we played a pretty clean game," Huffman said. "They didn't play all that bad, we just tend to come out a little bit flat."
Huffman said he hopes to continue building on that confidence in Monroe's last Badger South game of the year Tuesday, May 21 against Stoughton, who is still alive in the conference race.
"We kind of planted the seed that Stoughton still has something to play for," Huffman said of keeping his players competitive. "(We're) just trying to build their confidence that they're a good team."
Monticello 5, New Glarus 2
NEW GLARUS - The Monticello baseball team collected its first win of the season, with one game to go in the regular season before the start of the regional playoffs.
Bryce Klitzke started on the mound for the Ponies, pitching seven innings. He allowed two earned runs on three hits while striking out four and walking one.
New Glarus' Kyle Larson took the loss. He pitched seven innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out eight and walking one.
Monticello coach Scott White said his team was a little bit more reserved than he, in their excitement to get the first win.
"It was hard to control my excitement," White said. "I'm not a big fan of losing, so it's nice to get the monkey off the back. I'm sure it was nice for the players to go to New Glarus and take one from those guys, because they know them so well."
Tyler Pusel led Monticello offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Aaron Hefty finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Jake Pusel chipped in with a hit and two RBI.
White said he is hoping to build on Monday's win in their last regular season game, before the Ponies (1-18) roll into the regional playoffs.
"Hopefully going into the regionals we can gain some momentum ... and see what happens," he said.
Monticello will play at River Ridge Tuesday, May 21, before opening regional play at Albany Friday, May 24.
The Ponies are familiar with Albany, having played the Six River East Conference rival twice already this season. White said their most recent meeting was close, so he's looking forward to playing them again.
"I think (Albany's) a team that we match up with alright and you never know what happens," he said. "We're excited to see what we can do."
Potosi 8, Pecatonica 2
Potosi 9, Pecatonica 4
BLANCHARDVILLE -Pecatonica was plagued by errors and Potosi swept a non-conference doubleheader from the Vikings.
Potosi scored six runs in the third inning on just one hit. The Vikings (9-11, 7-9 Six Rivers East) committed two of their three errors in the third and walked three.
"We didn't play very well defensively," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said.
Pecatonica junior Lucas McKeon pitched 2 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, but just one earned run. He struck out three and walked three. Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief and gave up three unearned runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked one.
In the second game, the Chieftains scored three runs in the second inning and four in the third to take a 7-2 lead. Four of Potosi's nine hits were doubles.
"They hit the ball better," Strommen said. "Our pitchers struggled. When (we) left the ball up, they hit the ball hard."
Schliem went 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings on offense.
Pecatonica's Tyler Hodgson pitched two innings and gave up four earned runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked three. Chase Norton pitched two innings in relief and gave up two earned runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one.
