\MONROE - Sophomore Olivia Bobak had a dazzling pitching performance to lead the Monroe softball team to a 7-1 win over Sauk Prairie in a Badger Challenge game Thursday at Twining Park.
Bobak pitched a complete game and gave up one earned run on three hits, struck out 11 and walked two. She outdueled Sauk Prairie's Kelsey Breunig, who entered the game with a 0.92 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched. The Cheesemakers had nine hits off Breunig, including two bunts for hits, and four sacrifice bunts.
"I thought it was a really good bounce-back for her (Bobak) after a couple of sub-par performances," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "It was a good win for us. Sauk Prairie is a very good team, and they are second in the North."
O'Leksy said the gameplan against Breunig was just to put the ball in play. That's why he had the Cheesemakers (15-8) bunting more often against the Eagles.
"Breunig throws harder than Olivia, and we just wanted to put the ball in play," O'Leksy said. "I was really happy with our short game. We put a lot of pressure on them."
Monroe junior Alysha Witt went 3-for-3 with a walk and one run scored. The Cheesemakers broke the game open with a six-run fifth. Junior Madison Katzenberger and senior Carly Upmann each had RBI singles in the fifth. Senior Jessie Bennett had the big blow with a two-run single that gave the Cheesemakers a 6-1 lead. Bennett attempted a double steal with Upmann later in the inning. Bennett was thrown out at second, but Upmann beat the play at the plate to give the Cheesemakers an insurance run.
Monroe will play a doubleheader at Waupun on Saturday.
The Cheesemakers received a No. 5 seed in the WIAA Division 2 regional and will play at fourth-seeded Jefferson (15-7) on Wednesday.
"I have scouted Jefferson, and I like our chances," O'Leksy said.
If Monroe beats Jefferson, the Cheesemakers would advance to a regional championship game where they would likely face Beloit Turner, ranked second in the state in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association state poll.
Bobak pitched a complete game and gave up one earned run on three hits, struck out 11 and walked two. She outdueled Sauk Prairie's Kelsey Breunig, who entered the game with a 0.92 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched. The Cheesemakers had nine hits off Breunig, including two bunts for hits, and four sacrifice bunts.
"I thought it was a really good bounce-back for her (Bobak) after a couple of sub-par performances," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "It was a good win for us. Sauk Prairie is a very good team, and they are second in the North."
O'Leksy said the gameplan against Breunig was just to put the ball in play. That's why he had the Cheesemakers (15-8) bunting more often against the Eagles.
"Breunig throws harder than Olivia, and we just wanted to put the ball in play," O'Leksy said. "I was really happy with our short game. We put a lot of pressure on them."
Monroe junior Alysha Witt went 3-for-3 with a walk and one run scored. The Cheesemakers broke the game open with a six-run fifth. Junior Madison Katzenberger and senior Carly Upmann each had RBI singles in the fifth. Senior Jessie Bennett had the big blow with a two-run single that gave the Cheesemakers a 6-1 lead. Bennett attempted a double steal with Upmann later in the inning. Bennett was thrown out at second, but Upmann beat the play at the plate to give the Cheesemakers an insurance run.
Monroe will play a doubleheader at Waupun on Saturday.
The Cheesemakers received a No. 5 seed in the WIAA Division 2 regional and will play at fourth-seeded Jefferson (15-7) on Wednesday.
"I have scouted Jefferson, and I like our chances," O'Leksy said.
If Monroe beats Jefferson, the Cheesemakers would advance to a regional championship game where they would likely face Beloit Turner, ranked second in the state in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association state poll.
