MONROE - The hitting slump with runners in scoring position continued, but the real undoing for the Monroe High School baseball team Tuesday were the five errors committed in a 7-1 loss to Monona Grove.
It was the sixth straight loss for the Cheesemakers, who drop to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the Badger South.
The five errors by Monroe led to five unearned runs for the Silver Eagles.
"Really, it comes down to which team makes the least amount of errors," said Monroe senior catcher Isaac Allen, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base. "The team that usually makes the least amount of errors is usually the team who wins. We made more errors, and they (Monona Grove) came out on top."
The errors marred a solid start from senior Brad Ripp. Ripp pitched 51⁄3 innings and gave up four runs - one earned run on three hits.
The Cheesemakers were limited to four hits and were 0-for-6 hitting with runners in scoring position. The only run for the Cheesemakers came when freshman Nick Bansley walked to lead off the second inning, stole second base and later scored on a wild pitch by Monona Grove pitcher Mitch Kelsey. The play gave the Cheesemakers a short-lived 1-0 lead.
"We have tried all kinds of things," Allen said of trying to get out of the hitting slump as a team. "I'm not sure what will work. We will not win many games with only four or five hits. For most of the games, we have been right there. We got killed by the errors and people not driving in runs when we have someone in scoring position."
The Silver Eagles tied the game at 1 on Kolten Koch's RBI single in the top of the third. Koch went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Monona Grove scored the go-ahead run when Ripp overthrew first after a hard comebacker hit by Koch ricocheted off his foot, giving the Silver Eagles a 2-1 lead.
It all unraveled in the sixth when the Silver Eagles scored five runs. Monona Grove's Marshall Lehmann reached on an error, and Ripp walked P.J. Spalding. Monroe freshman Jared Dillon came in to pitch and issued a walk to load the bases. He then walked Brady Gerothanas to give the Silver Eagles a 3-1 lead. With two outs it appeared like Dillon would get out of the jam when he got Jackson Thompson to pop up to center field. However, the Cheesemakers dropped the ball and the error allowed two runs to score, giving the Silver Eagles a 5-1 lead. Koch then had a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-1.
"It comes down to making plays," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "It was uncharacteristic. The conditions were different. It was really windy. We looked like we were having trouble with the wind. On a day like this when runs will be at a premium, we have to make the routine plays."
Kelsey pitched a complete game for the Silver Eagles and gave up one unearned run on four hits. He struck out five and walked three.
"I thought Mitch pitched well, but he wasn't anything we shouldn't be able to put in play," Huffman said. "We have to get better at hitting with runners in scoring position if we are going to be competitive."
Huffman believes Ripp deserved better as the starting pitcher.
"He pitched fantastic," Huffman said. "You could tell he was getting tired and laboring a little bit (in the sixth). I thought he really controlled the zone. He was really hitting the outside half. If we get that out of Brad every game we will be happy with that."
It was the sixth straight loss for the Cheesemakers, who drop to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the Badger South.
The five errors by Monroe led to five unearned runs for the Silver Eagles.
"Really, it comes down to which team makes the least amount of errors," said Monroe senior catcher Isaac Allen, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base. "The team that usually makes the least amount of errors is usually the team who wins. We made more errors, and they (Monona Grove) came out on top."
The errors marred a solid start from senior Brad Ripp. Ripp pitched 51⁄3 innings and gave up four runs - one earned run on three hits.
The Cheesemakers were limited to four hits and were 0-for-6 hitting with runners in scoring position. The only run for the Cheesemakers came when freshman Nick Bansley walked to lead off the second inning, stole second base and later scored on a wild pitch by Monona Grove pitcher Mitch Kelsey. The play gave the Cheesemakers a short-lived 1-0 lead.
"We have tried all kinds of things," Allen said of trying to get out of the hitting slump as a team. "I'm not sure what will work. We will not win many games with only four or five hits. For most of the games, we have been right there. We got killed by the errors and people not driving in runs when we have someone in scoring position."
The Silver Eagles tied the game at 1 on Kolten Koch's RBI single in the top of the third. Koch went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Monona Grove scored the go-ahead run when Ripp overthrew first after a hard comebacker hit by Koch ricocheted off his foot, giving the Silver Eagles a 2-1 lead.
It all unraveled in the sixth when the Silver Eagles scored five runs. Monona Grove's Marshall Lehmann reached on an error, and Ripp walked P.J. Spalding. Monroe freshman Jared Dillon came in to pitch and issued a walk to load the bases. He then walked Brady Gerothanas to give the Silver Eagles a 3-1 lead. With two outs it appeared like Dillon would get out of the jam when he got Jackson Thompson to pop up to center field. However, the Cheesemakers dropped the ball and the error allowed two runs to score, giving the Silver Eagles a 5-1 lead. Koch then had a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-1.
"It comes down to making plays," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "It was uncharacteristic. The conditions were different. It was really windy. We looked like we were having trouble with the wind. On a day like this when runs will be at a premium, we have to make the routine plays."
Kelsey pitched a complete game for the Silver Eagles and gave up one unearned run on four hits. He struck out five and walked three.
"I thought Mitch pitched well, but he wasn't anything we shouldn't be able to put in play," Huffman said. "We have to get better at hitting with runners in scoring position if we are going to be competitive."
Huffman believes Ripp deserved better as the starting pitcher.
"He pitched fantastic," Huffman said. "You could tell he was getting tired and laboring a little bit (in the sixth). I thought he really controlled the zone. He was really hitting the outside half. If we get that out of Brad every game we will be happy with that."
