MONROE - As the regular season came to a close, the Cheesemakers received a brilliant performance on the hill from sophomore hurler Becca Armstrong.
"She was throwing harder and went upstairs for some strikeouts when she needed to," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Armstrong, after his team's 9-0 win over Oregon.
Armstrong had 10 strikeouts and allowed just two hits and three walks. It appeared that her velocity and presence around the strike zone were the biggest factor. According to Armstrong, you can chalk that up to confidence.
"I've had a lot of confidence lately. My team has played some good defense behind me and gotten some hits," Armstrong said.
After walking the first batter of the game, Armstrong sat down the next eight Panthers before issuing another walk. Oregon didn't break up the budding no-hitter until a two-out double in the fifth. The biggest threat to break up the shutout didn't come until the seventh, when an error and single put two runners on with just one out. However, Armstrong struck out the last two batters.
"I'm glad she got the shutout. It's a good one to win," Buvid said. "Oregon is a good hitting team. This is a step in the right direction."
The Cheesemakers did their best to give Armstrong a lead to work with, which has been rare this year. Typically a slow-starting team, Monroe opened up with a bang at the plate, courtesy of freshman Chandra McGuire, who belted a solo home run.
"Chandra's home run was very big to open the game. It's always helpful for the offense, too, when your pitcher has it going," Buvid said.
Monroe scored three runs in the second inning and another in the third to give their sophomore pitcher a 5-0 cushion. A four-run fifth put the game out of reach.
"This is a step in the right direction. Can we do it consistently with playoffs coming up? I don't know. We don't have to play at our very best in the first two rounds, but after that we need to be on top of our game," Buvid said.
McGuire and Alyssa Montgomery each had two hits for Monroe.
The Cheesemakers (12-10) host Mount Horeb in the first round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs.
"Certainly it (state) is not out of reach, especially when you have your pitching going the way she (Armstrong) is right now," Buvid said.
"She was throwing harder and went upstairs for some strikeouts when she needed to," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Armstrong, after his team's 9-0 win over Oregon.
Armstrong had 10 strikeouts and allowed just two hits and three walks. It appeared that her velocity and presence around the strike zone were the biggest factor. According to Armstrong, you can chalk that up to confidence.
"I've had a lot of confidence lately. My team has played some good defense behind me and gotten some hits," Armstrong said.
After walking the first batter of the game, Armstrong sat down the next eight Panthers before issuing another walk. Oregon didn't break up the budding no-hitter until a two-out double in the fifth. The biggest threat to break up the shutout didn't come until the seventh, when an error and single put two runners on with just one out. However, Armstrong struck out the last two batters.
"I'm glad she got the shutout. It's a good one to win," Buvid said. "Oregon is a good hitting team. This is a step in the right direction."
The Cheesemakers did their best to give Armstrong a lead to work with, which has been rare this year. Typically a slow-starting team, Monroe opened up with a bang at the plate, courtesy of freshman Chandra McGuire, who belted a solo home run.
"Chandra's home run was very big to open the game. It's always helpful for the offense, too, when your pitcher has it going," Buvid said.
Monroe scored three runs in the second inning and another in the third to give their sophomore pitcher a 5-0 cushion. A four-run fifth put the game out of reach.
"This is a step in the right direction. Can we do it consistently with playoffs coming up? I don't know. We don't have to play at our very best in the first two rounds, but after that we need to be on top of our game," Buvid said.
McGuire and Alyssa Montgomery each had two hits for Monroe.
The Cheesemakers (12-10) host Mount Horeb in the first round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs.
"Certainly it (state) is not out of reach, especially when you have your pitching going the way she (Armstrong) is right now," Buvid said.
