MONROE - Monroe baseball coach Dustin Huffman moved Alex Einbeck into the No. 5 spot in the batting order for the first time this season Thursday.
The move paid immediate dividends, as Einbeck ripped a two-run double in the first inning to start the Cheesemakers on their way to a 10-7 victory against Oregon.
Monroe's first victory of the season improves its record to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Badger South Conference.
The Cheesemakers allowed an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but quickly erased the deficit on Einbeck's blast to the gap in right-center field.
"For him to step up in the fifth spot right after our No. 4 hitter had struck out ... he really clutched up and hit the ball hard and that was a huge turning point in the game," Huffman said of Einbeck, a junior. "That hit definitely helped give us some confidence for the rest of the game."
Monroe added two runs in the second and two more in the third to stake junior starter Cody Pivonka to a 6-2 lead. No. 9 hitter Dusty Burkhalter drove in runs in the second and third innings.
"Any time you can get two hits and two RBIs from your No. 9 hitter, you're feeling pretty good," Huffman said of the junior. "Dusty has had a very good approach in the at-bats he has gotten this year. He does a real nice job going with the pitch and hitting the ball to the right side. I'm really happy with how he swung the bat."
The Cheesemakers extended their lead to 10-5 with a four-run sixth inning, when Einbeck added an RBI single to finish with a team-high three RBIs.
Junior Kevin Klopfenstein also had two hits and scored two runs, junior Mitch Riese had an RBI and scored two runs, and senior Austin Burandt added an RBI. The Cheesemakers had 10 hits.
"Everyone swung the bat really well," Huffman said. "We hit the ball hard, and for once it wasn't right at somebody. We were able to find some gaps. I could tell the guys felt confident and locked in and 10 hits and 10 runs is the result."
Pivonka went six innings to record the victory. He allowed three hits and five runs - only two earned - while striking out four and walking five.
"Cody threw strikes and kept us in the game," Huffman said.
Ryan Erickson pitched the seventh for Monroe. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks, and had a strikeout. The junior returned this week from a trip to Germany, and had only practiced three times with the team before leaving the country in March.
"We kind of put Ryan in a tough spot with a little bit of pressure there to see how he would react," Huffman said. "After he shook the nerves off, he got us out of there with the win. That was nice to see."
Monroe travels to Orangeville (Ill.) today for a single game before hosting Waunakee in a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The move paid immediate dividends, as Einbeck ripped a two-run double in the first inning to start the Cheesemakers on their way to a 10-7 victory against Oregon.
Monroe's first victory of the season improves its record to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Badger South Conference.
The Cheesemakers allowed an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but quickly erased the deficit on Einbeck's blast to the gap in right-center field.
"For him to step up in the fifth spot right after our No. 4 hitter had struck out ... he really clutched up and hit the ball hard and that was a huge turning point in the game," Huffman said of Einbeck, a junior. "That hit definitely helped give us some confidence for the rest of the game."
Monroe added two runs in the second and two more in the third to stake junior starter Cody Pivonka to a 6-2 lead. No. 9 hitter Dusty Burkhalter drove in runs in the second and third innings.
"Any time you can get two hits and two RBIs from your No. 9 hitter, you're feeling pretty good," Huffman said of the junior. "Dusty has had a very good approach in the at-bats he has gotten this year. He does a real nice job going with the pitch and hitting the ball to the right side. I'm really happy with how he swung the bat."
The Cheesemakers extended their lead to 10-5 with a four-run sixth inning, when Einbeck added an RBI single to finish with a team-high three RBIs.
Junior Kevin Klopfenstein also had two hits and scored two runs, junior Mitch Riese had an RBI and scored two runs, and senior Austin Burandt added an RBI. The Cheesemakers had 10 hits.
"Everyone swung the bat really well," Huffman said. "We hit the ball hard, and for once it wasn't right at somebody. We were able to find some gaps. I could tell the guys felt confident and locked in and 10 hits and 10 runs is the result."
Pivonka went six innings to record the victory. He allowed three hits and five runs - only two earned - while striking out four and walking five.
"Cody threw strikes and kept us in the game," Huffman said.
Ryan Erickson pitched the seventh for Monroe. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks, and had a strikeout. The junior returned this week from a trip to Germany, and had only practiced three times with the team before leaving the country in March.
"We kind of put Ryan in a tough spot with a little bit of pressure there to see how he would react," Huffman said. "After he shook the nerves off, he got us out of there with the win. That was nice to see."
Monroe travels to Orangeville (Ill.) today for a single game before hosting Waunakee in a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
