BELOIT - Right on schedule, Monroe's baseball team is starting to find its groove. In the exact halfway-point of the regular season, the Cheesemakers used good defense, solid pitching and a punishing presence at the plate to take care of Beloit Turner in five innings, 12-1.
"We came off the bus ready to play," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "That's the second straight game we've done that."
Monroe got out to an early 2-0 lead after the first inning. Logan Wells, hitting eighth in the lineup, smoked a 3-run home run in the second to make it 5-0.
"We didn't settle in," Huffman said of his offense. "We were laying down sac bunts, stealing bases and executing hit-and-runs."
Wells finished 2 for 3 with two runs, a double and four RBIs. Kevin Klopfenstein was 3 for 3 with two runs and a double while Mitch Marty and Austin Burandt each collected a pair of hits.
Kramer Henning put the game away in the fourth, connecting on an 0-2 pitch for a grand slam. The Cheesemakers scored seven runs in the frame and held a 12-0 lead at that point.
Southpaw Drew Nafzger capped a solid day on the mound, allowing Turner's only run in the bottom of the fifth. Nafzger, a senior, struck out four, walked three and allowed just two hits for the win.
"Drew pitched great. He hasn't had a lot of innings this year, but he was throwing strikes, and that's huge for us," Huffman said. "He's a nice third option (on the mound)."
Monroe (6-5, 4-2 Badger South) recorded 13 hits in the game, and Nafzger was the only player in the starting lineup not to record a hit.
The Cheesemakers get back into action Monday when they welcome top-ranked Madison Edgewood and then again Tuesday at home against Monona Grove.
"We came off the bus ready to play," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "That's the second straight game we've done that."
Monroe got out to an early 2-0 lead after the first inning. Logan Wells, hitting eighth in the lineup, smoked a 3-run home run in the second to make it 5-0.
"We didn't settle in," Huffman said of his offense. "We were laying down sac bunts, stealing bases and executing hit-and-runs."
Wells finished 2 for 3 with two runs, a double and four RBIs. Kevin Klopfenstein was 3 for 3 with two runs and a double while Mitch Marty and Austin Burandt each collected a pair of hits.
Kramer Henning put the game away in the fourth, connecting on an 0-2 pitch for a grand slam. The Cheesemakers scored seven runs in the frame and held a 12-0 lead at that point.
Southpaw Drew Nafzger capped a solid day on the mound, allowing Turner's only run in the bottom of the fifth. Nafzger, a senior, struck out four, walked three and allowed just two hits for the win.
"Drew pitched great. He hasn't had a lot of innings this year, but he was throwing strikes, and that's huge for us," Huffman said. "He's a nice third option (on the mound)."
Monroe (6-5, 4-2 Badger South) recorded 13 hits in the game, and Nafzger was the only player in the starting lineup not to record a hit.
The Cheesemakers get back into action Monday when they welcome top-ranked Madison Edgewood and then again Tuesday at home against Monona Grove.
