MONROE - With the way Monroe senior Logan Weckerly was cruising pitching with a shutout going through the first five innings, the Monroe baseball team looked like they were on the verge of winning the season opener against Dodgeville Monday.
That all changed in the sixth inning as Dodgeville batted around the order in a nine-run inning to propel the Dodgers to a comeback 13-6 win over Monroe that spoiled Weckerly's start. The Cheesemakers led 4-0 entering the sixth, but with Weckerly at his pitch count, the Cheesemakers went to junior Taylor Meir in relief and the Dodgers mounted a comeback.
Meir walked four and hit one batter in the sixth. The Dodgers scored three runs on wild pitches. Dodgeville's Cole Sullivan blooped an RBI single to left to tie the game at 4. Dodgeville's Jordan Larson, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, delivered a go-ahead RBI single to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Trent Jones, who went 3-for-5 had a three-run triple to center to give the Dodgers a commanding 8-4 lead.
"That's baseball," said Monroe senior third baseman Chase Hellenbrand who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. "They got hot hitting. They didn't hit the ball all game and then all of a sudden they were peppering the gaps."
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said Weckerly had reached his pitch count. Huffman didn't want to jeopardize Weckerly's health or arm early in the season in the first of five games this week.
"He's our man right now," Huffman said of Weckerly. "We will go as he goes on the mound. He came out and was consistent. He threw strikes. That is what he has done for two years. It's a good starting point for him."
Weckerly was spectacular in the opener. He tossed five shutout innings and gave up just two hits. He struck out four and walked three. Meier struggled with his control and gave up five runs in one-third of an inning and hit one batter. Monroe senior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief and gave up eight runs on eight hits.
"He just couldn't throw strikes," Huffman said of Meier. "He knows he had a bad night. He will bounce back from this. He is our No. 3 or 4 pitcher and he will have to throw some innings in relief. He will be an important part of this team."
Early on, it looked like the Cheesemakers would be up to the challenge. Hellenbrand smoked a double to left in the first inning. Monroe senior Sean Saxby lined an RBI single to right to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
After two errors in the first, the Cheesemakers settled down and turned in a solid defensive performance. Weckerly got in a bases-loaded one-out jam in the third, but he pitched out of the threat. He induced Larson to ground into an inning-ending double play started by second baseman Brent Edmunds and finished by shortstop Desmond Ford.
Another positive sign was Monroe sophomore Hogan Edwards went 2-for-3 in his first varsity game.
"I could tell he (Edwards) was really nervous early on," Huffman said. "He got more comfortable as the game went on. He had absolutely a great summer in 15-year-old baseball. He could bat anywhere between the 4 and 7 spot. It was good to see him get a couple of hits under his belt to build some confidence."
Hellenbrand came through with a two-run single down the third base line in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead. Garrett Gogin then ripped an RBI single to right center to extend the lead to 4-0.
After the Dodgers took a 9-4 lead in the sixth, the Cheesemakers wouldn't go away without a fight and rallied.
In the bottom of the sixth, Edwards singled up the middle leading off. Junior Jaron Kuester walked. Ford delivered an RBI single to cut the Dodgers' lead to 9-5.
Tempers flared late in the sixth. Kuester also scored from third after the Dodgers' catcher and infield walked to the mound. Kuester continued running to home, and the home plate umpire ruled the run scored because he didn't award the timeout for the meeting at the mound. A shouting match with a Dodgeville assistant coach in the dugout ensued. The Dodgers dodged a bullet when senior Matt Coplien hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Cheesemakers had nine hits as a team and several other line drives by Gogin were some of the hardest hit even though they didn't fall in for a hit. Huffman likes the start the Cheesemakers had hitting.
"I thought we came out and swung the bats well," Huffman said. "We have hit off some live pitching from the coaches, but it's just not the same as live pitching outside. I thought we swung at a couple of pitches high in the zone. For the most part, I thought we swung the bats well."
Monroe is scheduled to play at Milton today and then will host Fort Atkinson Thursday before playing a doubleheader at Reedsburg Saturday.
Hellenbrand still has high expectations for the season.
"We know we can contend," Hellenbrand said of the Badger South Conference. "We have a good attitude towards baseball and good teammates."
That all changed in the sixth inning as Dodgeville batted around the order in a nine-run inning to propel the Dodgers to a comeback 13-6 win over Monroe that spoiled Weckerly's start. The Cheesemakers led 4-0 entering the sixth, but with Weckerly at his pitch count, the Cheesemakers went to junior Taylor Meir in relief and the Dodgers mounted a comeback.
Meir walked four and hit one batter in the sixth. The Dodgers scored three runs on wild pitches. Dodgeville's Cole Sullivan blooped an RBI single to left to tie the game at 4. Dodgeville's Jordan Larson, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, delivered a go-ahead RBI single to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Trent Jones, who went 3-for-5 had a three-run triple to center to give the Dodgers a commanding 8-4 lead.
"That's baseball," said Monroe senior third baseman Chase Hellenbrand who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. "They got hot hitting. They didn't hit the ball all game and then all of a sudden they were peppering the gaps."
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said Weckerly had reached his pitch count. Huffman didn't want to jeopardize Weckerly's health or arm early in the season in the first of five games this week.
"He's our man right now," Huffman said of Weckerly. "We will go as he goes on the mound. He came out and was consistent. He threw strikes. That is what he has done for two years. It's a good starting point for him."
Weckerly was spectacular in the opener. He tossed five shutout innings and gave up just two hits. He struck out four and walked three. Meier struggled with his control and gave up five runs in one-third of an inning and hit one batter. Monroe senior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief and gave up eight runs on eight hits.
"He just couldn't throw strikes," Huffman said of Meier. "He knows he had a bad night. He will bounce back from this. He is our No. 3 or 4 pitcher and he will have to throw some innings in relief. He will be an important part of this team."
Early on, it looked like the Cheesemakers would be up to the challenge. Hellenbrand smoked a double to left in the first inning. Monroe senior Sean Saxby lined an RBI single to right to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
After two errors in the first, the Cheesemakers settled down and turned in a solid defensive performance. Weckerly got in a bases-loaded one-out jam in the third, but he pitched out of the threat. He induced Larson to ground into an inning-ending double play started by second baseman Brent Edmunds and finished by shortstop Desmond Ford.
Another positive sign was Monroe sophomore Hogan Edwards went 2-for-3 in his first varsity game.
"I could tell he (Edwards) was really nervous early on," Huffman said. "He got more comfortable as the game went on. He had absolutely a great summer in 15-year-old baseball. He could bat anywhere between the 4 and 7 spot. It was good to see him get a couple of hits under his belt to build some confidence."
Hellenbrand came through with a two-run single down the third base line in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead. Garrett Gogin then ripped an RBI single to right center to extend the lead to 4-0.
After the Dodgers took a 9-4 lead in the sixth, the Cheesemakers wouldn't go away without a fight and rallied.
In the bottom of the sixth, Edwards singled up the middle leading off. Junior Jaron Kuester walked. Ford delivered an RBI single to cut the Dodgers' lead to 9-5.
Tempers flared late in the sixth. Kuester also scored from third after the Dodgers' catcher and infield walked to the mound. Kuester continued running to home, and the home plate umpire ruled the run scored because he didn't award the timeout for the meeting at the mound. A shouting match with a Dodgeville assistant coach in the dugout ensued. The Dodgers dodged a bullet when senior Matt Coplien hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Cheesemakers had nine hits as a team and several other line drives by Gogin were some of the hardest hit even though they didn't fall in for a hit. Huffman likes the start the Cheesemakers had hitting.
"I thought we came out and swung the bats well," Huffman said. "We have hit off some live pitching from the coaches, but it's just not the same as live pitching outside. I thought we swung at a couple of pitches high in the zone. For the most part, I thought we swung the bats well."
Monroe is scheduled to play at Milton today and then will host Fort Atkinson Thursday before playing a doubleheader at Reedsburg Saturday.
Hellenbrand still has high expectations for the season.
"We know we can contend," Hellenbrand said of the Badger South Conference. "We have a good attitude towards baseball and good teammates."
