MONROE - The Monroe baseball team split a doubleheader against Orfordville Parkview in the regular season home finale Saturday.
Monroe (3-19, 1-11 Badger South) was able to hang on to beat Parkview 9-8 in the first game and dropped the second game of the twinbill 8-4.
Monroe junior Sean Saxby went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Cheesemakers. Carter Adkins was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Parkview scored two runs in the first inning off Monroe junior pitcher Desmond Ford. The Cheesemakers answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Saxby came through with a two-run double down the left field line to key a four-run third to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead.
"To answer right back in the first inning was huge," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Those timely hits are what we have been looking for all year."
Ford pitched four innings and gave up two unearned runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn't issue a walk.
"He didn't look right with his follow through in the fourth inning," Huffman said of Ford. "He had some pain in his back and we decided to take him out."
Monroe junior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched one shutout inning and junior Chase Hellenbrand pitched two innings in relief and gave up six runs, but just two earned runs on six hits.
The Cheesemakers answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Vikings loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but Hellenbrand was able to work out of the jam giving up just one run in the inning to preserve the win.
In the second game, the Vikings scored four runs off Monroe sophomore pitcher Brent Edmunds in the first to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Edmunds pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs (six earned) on seven hits. He struck out four and walked six.
"Any time you only have two wins you should come out excited after a win," Huffman said. "I think we came out a little flat in that second game. They hit the ball well at the start of the second game.
The Cheesemakers rallied with a three-run sixth. The Vikings answered with a four-run sixth to take an 8-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"It's tough to come back from that," Huffman said. "After they got four runs off of Edmunds in the first inning he settled in. Hopefully, that will be a learning experience for him."
Monroe sophomore Garrett Gogin went 3-for-3 to lead the Cheesemakers.
Monroe (3-19, 1-11 Badger South) was able to hang on to beat Parkview 9-8 in the first game and dropped the second game of the twinbill 8-4.
Monroe junior Sean Saxby went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Cheesemakers. Carter Adkins was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Parkview scored two runs in the first inning off Monroe junior pitcher Desmond Ford. The Cheesemakers answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Saxby came through with a two-run double down the left field line to key a four-run third to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead.
"To answer right back in the first inning was huge," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Those timely hits are what we have been looking for all year."
Ford pitched four innings and gave up two unearned runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn't issue a walk.
"He didn't look right with his follow through in the fourth inning," Huffman said of Ford. "He had some pain in his back and we decided to take him out."
Monroe junior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched one shutout inning and junior Chase Hellenbrand pitched two innings in relief and gave up six runs, but just two earned runs on six hits.
The Cheesemakers answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Vikings loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but Hellenbrand was able to work out of the jam giving up just one run in the inning to preserve the win.
In the second game, the Vikings scored four runs off Monroe sophomore pitcher Brent Edmunds in the first to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Edmunds pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs (six earned) on seven hits. He struck out four and walked six.
"Any time you only have two wins you should come out excited after a win," Huffman said. "I think we came out a little flat in that second game. They hit the ball well at the start of the second game.
The Cheesemakers rallied with a three-run sixth. The Vikings answered with a four-run sixth to take an 8-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"It's tough to come back from that," Huffman said. "After they got four runs off of Edmunds in the first inning he settled in. Hopefully, that will be a learning experience for him."
Monroe sophomore Garrett Gogin went 3-for-3 to lead the Cheesemakers.
