MONROE - The Cheesemaker softball team went 2-1 and finished second place in the Monroe tournament on Saturday.
Monroe (9-4, 4-2 Badger South) rallied to knock off Waterford in the first game of the tournament and then defeated Johnson Creek 13-5. In the championship game, Freeport cruised to an 11-1 five-inning win over the Cheesemakers.
Freeport pitcher Taylor Murray limited the Cheesemakers to just five hits and struck out four.
"Taylor throws really hard like Olivia (Bobak)," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "We were a step off. We were a little tardy on some pitches. We haven't faced a pitcher that throws that hard yet this year. Freeport is very good. They are the best team we have seen this year hands down. I knew it would take an extraordinary effort to beat them."
Monroe sophomore pitcher Olivia Bobak pitched five innings and gave up nine earned runs on 10 hits. She struck out six and walked seven.
Monroe 9, Waterford 7
The Cheesemakers rallied from a four-run deficit against Waterford in the first game Saturday. Junior Alysha Witt had a key RBI triple in the third inning to cut Waterford's lead to 4-3.
Bobak had an RBI triple in the fourth and scored on a wild throw to the plate to give the Cheesemakers a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, Monroe senior Megan Baugmartner doubled. Junior Madison Katzenberger and freshman Grace Tostrud came through with RBI doubles to help the Cheesemakers pull out the victory.
Tostrud went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Katzenberger was 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Bobak went 2-for-3 with one RBI and Witt was 2-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI.
"We started out kind of slow," O'Leksy said. "I was very happy when we got to the third inning and Grace Tostrud got a big hit to start it out."
Bobak pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up six earned runs on five hits. Bobak struck out 12 and walked three.
Monroe 13, Johnson Creek 5
The Cheesemakers had six-run second and fifth innings to roll to a win over Johnson Creek, which is ranked eighth in Division 5.
Sophomore Hailey Betthauser went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Bobak went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run to spark the Cheesemakers' six-run second. Katzenberger finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and Witt was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Tostrud had a two-run double in the fifth.
Bobak pitched 61⁄3 shutout innings to get the win. She struck out 12 and walked four. Johnson Creek scored five runs off senior Carly Upmann.
"We are coming together as a team," O'Leksy said. "Olivia is getting better as a pitcher every time. I'm really happy with the progress of our girls and team."
Monroe (9-4, 4-2 Badger South) rallied to knock off Waterford in the first game of the tournament and then defeated Johnson Creek 13-5. In the championship game, Freeport cruised to an 11-1 five-inning win over the Cheesemakers.
Freeport pitcher Taylor Murray limited the Cheesemakers to just five hits and struck out four.
"Taylor throws really hard like Olivia (Bobak)," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "We were a step off. We were a little tardy on some pitches. We haven't faced a pitcher that throws that hard yet this year. Freeport is very good. They are the best team we have seen this year hands down. I knew it would take an extraordinary effort to beat them."
Monroe sophomore pitcher Olivia Bobak pitched five innings and gave up nine earned runs on 10 hits. She struck out six and walked seven.
Monroe 9, Waterford 7
The Cheesemakers rallied from a four-run deficit against Waterford in the first game Saturday. Junior Alysha Witt had a key RBI triple in the third inning to cut Waterford's lead to 4-3.
Bobak had an RBI triple in the fourth and scored on a wild throw to the plate to give the Cheesemakers a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, Monroe senior Megan Baugmartner doubled. Junior Madison Katzenberger and freshman Grace Tostrud came through with RBI doubles to help the Cheesemakers pull out the victory.
Tostrud went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Katzenberger was 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Bobak went 2-for-3 with one RBI and Witt was 2-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI.
"We started out kind of slow," O'Leksy said. "I was very happy when we got to the third inning and Grace Tostrud got a big hit to start it out."
Bobak pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up six earned runs on five hits. Bobak struck out 12 and walked three.
Monroe 13, Johnson Creek 5
The Cheesemakers had six-run second and fifth innings to roll to a win over Johnson Creek, which is ranked eighth in Division 5.
Sophomore Hailey Betthauser went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Bobak went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run to spark the Cheesemakers' six-run second. Katzenberger finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and Witt was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Tostrud had a two-run double in the fifth.
Bobak pitched 61⁄3 shutout innings to get the win. She struck out 12 and walked four. Johnson Creek scored five runs off senior Carly Upmann.
"We are coming together as a team," O'Leksy said. "Olivia is getting better as a pitcher every time. I'm really happy with the progress of our girls and team."
