JUDA - Countless staff aces have squared off against Juda-Albany senior fireballer Amber Ramos over the years and walked away mumbling over a loss.
Teams who send their No. 2 starter to the circle? And a sophomore, to boot?
Good luck.
That was the scenario Monticello sophomore Claire Bruns faced Tuesday with senior teammate Karlie Klossner sidelined by a leg injury.
"I was nervous when we lost Karlie," Bruns said. "I just knew I had to step it up. I had to really focus and take charge."
And take charge Bruns did, firing a four-hitter and facing just five batters over the minimum as the Ponies defeated Juda-Albany 2-1.
Freshman Jordan Garrison provided the winning margin with a run-scoring double in the seventh inning for Monticello, which handed the Panthers their first Six Rivers East Conference defeat and avenged a 1-0 loss to Juda-Albany on April 30. Ramos pitched a one-hitter and had 18 strikeouts in that first encounter.
This time is was Bruns who stole the spotlight in the circle.
"She's not overpowering," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said of Bruns. "I told her, 'Just throw strikes and trust your defense,' and it worked. She's got a natural little curve that curls into righties. She doesn't try to throw it, it's just her motion.
"She's given up one run in the last 10 innings against Barneveld and Juda. That says a lot about her."
Indeed, it was Bruns who came on to pitch after Klossner was injured covering the plate last week against Barneveld. She recorded the victory in relief, earning the nod over freshman Courtney Leuzinger to start on Tuesday.
"I could have thrown either one, but I had to give Brunsie the game because she got us out of Barneveld with a big win," said Duane Garrison, whose team improved to 5-2 in the league.
Juda-Albany (10-6, 6-1) opened the scoring in the third inning, using a walk, a stolen base and a Katlyn DeVoe run-scoring single to scratch out a run. But the Panthers didn't advance a runner past second base the rest of the way.
"She threw a good game, kept us off balance, jammed us, got key strikeouts when she had to and got us to chase some pitches," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said of Bruns. "She did a nice job."
The same could be said for a group of Monticello hitters who had no clue against Ramos in the last game. This time, Duane Garrison said, the Ponies changed their hitting approach against the reigning Six Rivers East player of the year.
"Last time I had them up in the box (thinking) if you can catch the rise ball early before it gets out of the zone ... well, 18 strikeouts later, that didn't work," Duane Garrison said. "So I had them go back (further in the batter's box) and try to be patient. Amber threw a lot of pitches today. She fell behind in the count a lot, and that was to our advantage."
The Ponies drew four walks, the last one by Jordyn Kubly to lead off the fifth. That led to Monticello's first run, leadoff hitter Claire Geitzel collecting a two-out RBI single to left to tie the game at 1.
Monticello's winning rally started when Ramos hit the Ponies leadoff hitter, senior Kelsey Jacobson, to start the seventh inning. Taylor Garner moved the runner with a infield groundout before Geitzel grounded out to second base.
That set the stage for Jordan Garrison, who laced a shot to deep center to drive the go-ahead run.
"Fastball right down the middle," Garrison said of the pitch. "I looked at it and I was like, 'Hopefully it's over her head' and I just kept running. It was just an adrenaline rush."
Jordan Garrison got to experience the rush one more time in the bottom of the inning when, following an error to start the frame, she fielded a hot grounder, tagged the baserunner and threw to first for the double play.
"She's always asking if she's in the right position and stuff like that," Duane Garrison said of his daughter. "She was in the right position that time and turned a big double play for us."
Bruns induced a bounce out to end the game and give Monticello its first victory against Ramos in nine tries.
"I was so excited," Bruns said. "I didn't know what to think. We beat Juda!"
Teams who send their No. 2 starter to the circle? And a sophomore, to boot?
Good luck.
That was the scenario Monticello sophomore Claire Bruns faced Tuesday with senior teammate Karlie Klossner sidelined by a leg injury.
"I was nervous when we lost Karlie," Bruns said. "I just knew I had to step it up. I had to really focus and take charge."
And take charge Bruns did, firing a four-hitter and facing just five batters over the minimum as the Ponies defeated Juda-Albany 2-1.
Freshman Jordan Garrison provided the winning margin with a run-scoring double in the seventh inning for Monticello, which handed the Panthers their first Six Rivers East Conference defeat and avenged a 1-0 loss to Juda-Albany on April 30. Ramos pitched a one-hitter and had 18 strikeouts in that first encounter.
This time is was Bruns who stole the spotlight in the circle.
"She's not overpowering," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said of Bruns. "I told her, 'Just throw strikes and trust your defense,' and it worked. She's got a natural little curve that curls into righties. She doesn't try to throw it, it's just her motion.
"She's given up one run in the last 10 innings against Barneveld and Juda. That says a lot about her."
Indeed, it was Bruns who came on to pitch after Klossner was injured covering the plate last week against Barneveld. She recorded the victory in relief, earning the nod over freshman Courtney Leuzinger to start on Tuesday.
"I could have thrown either one, but I had to give Brunsie the game because she got us out of Barneveld with a big win," said Duane Garrison, whose team improved to 5-2 in the league.
Juda-Albany (10-6, 6-1) opened the scoring in the third inning, using a walk, a stolen base and a Katlyn DeVoe run-scoring single to scratch out a run. But the Panthers didn't advance a runner past second base the rest of the way.
"She threw a good game, kept us off balance, jammed us, got key strikeouts when she had to and got us to chase some pitches," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said of Bruns. "She did a nice job."
The same could be said for a group of Monticello hitters who had no clue against Ramos in the last game. This time, Duane Garrison said, the Ponies changed their hitting approach against the reigning Six Rivers East player of the year.
"Last time I had them up in the box (thinking) if you can catch the rise ball early before it gets out of the zone ... well, 18 strikeouts later, that didn't work," Duane Garrison said. "So I had them go back (further in the batter's box) and try to be patient. Amber threw a lot of pitches today. She fell behind in the count a lot, and that was to our advantage."
The Ponies drew four walks, the last one by Jordyn Kubly to lead off the fifth. That led to Monticello's first run, leadoff hitter Claire Geitzel collecting a two-out RBI single to left to tie the game at 1.
Monticello's winning rally started when Ramos hit the Ponies leadoff hitter, senior Kelsey Jacobson, to start the seventh inning. Taylor Garner moved the runner with a infield groundout before Geitzel grounded out to second base.
That set the stage for Jordan Garrison, who laced a shot to deep center to drive the go-ahead run.
"Fastball right down the middle," Garrison said of the pitch. "I looked at it and I was like, 'Hopefully it's over her head' and I just kept running. It was just an adrenaline rush."
Jordan Garrison got to experience the rush one more time in the bottom of the inning when, following an error to start the frame, she fielded a hot grounder, tagged the baserunner and threw to first for the double play.
"She's always asking if she's in the right position and stuff like that," Duane Garrison said of his daughter. "She was in the right position that time and turned a big double play for us."
Bruns induced a bounce out to end the game and give Monticello its first victory against Ramos in nine tries.
"I was so excited," Bruns said. "I didn't know what to think. We beat Juda!"
