MONTICELLO - The Ponies miss shortstop Sadi Hilliard already - and it's only been a week and a half since she broke her leg.
"Offensively, she helps us a lot. We're really missing her right now," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said after the Ponies 3-2 loss to Argyle.
Pitcher Kelsey Bartels and the Orioles stranded Monticello with runners in scoring position on numerous occasions, despite allowing six hits and six walks in the game.
"We had a lot of runners, we just didn't have any hits to drive them in," Garrison said.
Both teams scored runs in the first inning. Argyle scored one in the third and the fourth and Monticello added another in the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth with a runner on second and no outs, Bartels walked a runner on base. Garrison had his player sprint to second base after the walk. On the throw to second, the lead runner dashed for home, only to be gunned down. The trail runner left second for third and was also thrown out.
"That's a backbreaking double play," Garrison said.
In the seventh, the Ponies had runners on second and third with no one out, but Bartels struck out two straight and got a pop-out to end the game.
Bartels finished with eight strikeouts. Monticello's Mary Hershberger struck out nine, walked three, and allowed only two hits - one to Jackie Dammen and another to Bartels. Taylor Klitzke was 2-3 for the Ponies and teammates Becky Nelson and Taylor Pfeuti collected six walks combined.
Pecatonica 4, Albany 0
ALBANY - Pecatonica junior Kaci Cassidy pitched a complete game three-hit shutout.
The Vikings scored two runs right off the bat. Ellie Gifford and Cassidy led off with back-to-back singles and Amanda Schoepp came through with a clutch two-run single to right to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Pecatonica added to their lead as Albany starting pitcher Katie Krupke walked two in the second and Michala Boese followed with an RBI single to center to make it 3-0.
Krupke pitched a complete game and struck out nine.
Albany left fielder Megan Farley made a running catch in the seventh to rob Cassidy of a base hit.
"It was a great catch. She turned around and ran hard, then looked for the ball just the way she is supposed to. It was a great play," Albany coach Connie Wunschel said.
The Comets committed three errors, but didn't give up a passed ball. Katie Sutherland, Clare Koopmans and Abby Kauk collected hits for the Comets.
"We have been positive every time," Wunschel said. "We cut down on our errors and passed balls. Our confidence is still wishy-washy, though."
Juda 5, Barneveld 4
BARNEVELD - The Panthers remained unbeaten with a comeback 5-4 win over Barneveld.
Juda (7-7, 5-0 Six Rivers East) rallied from a 3-1 deficit with a four-run third inning.
Juda junior Tabitha Theiler reached on an error in the third. Freshman Katlyn DeVoe singled. Tara Allen then hit a clutch game-tying two-run double to tie the game at 3. Juda sophomore Megan Trotter laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Allen with the go-ahead run. Freshman CJ Dunwiddie then came through with an RBI single to give the Panthers a 5-3 lead.
"I told the girls, 'We will get our runs and chances,'" Juda coach Bill Davis said. "I just said, 'Let's keep hitting the ball hard and good things will happen.'"
Fellow freshman Amber Ramos pitched a complete game to get the win. Ramos gave up four runs on five hits. She struck out nine and walked just two. Ramos survived a scare in the seventh when a line drive was hit off her chest and she recovered to throw a batter out at first. Ramos went 2-for-3 at the plate and Allen was 2-4.
In other action, Black Hawk lost to Cuba City in a non-conference game 10-0.
"Offensively, she helps us a lot. We're really missing her right now," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said after the Ponies 3-2 loss to Argyle.
Pitcher Kelsey Bartels and the Orioles stranded Monticello with runners in scoring position on numerous occasions, despite allowing six hits and six walks in the game.
"We had a lot of runners, we just didn't have any hits to drive them in," Garrison said.
Both teams scored runs in the first inning. Argyle scored one in the third and the fourth and Monticello added another in the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth with a runner on second and no outs, Bartels walked a runner on base. Garrison had his player sprint to second base after the walk. On the throw to second, the lead runner dashed for home, only to be gunned down. The trail runner left second for third and was also thrown out.
"That's a backbreaking double play," Garrison said.
In the seventh, the Ponies had runners on second and third with no one out, but Bartels struck out two straight and got a pop-out to end the game.
Bartels finished with eight strikeouts. Monticello's Mary Hershberger struck out nine, walked three, and allowed only two hits - one to Jackie Dammen and another to Bartels. Taylor Klitzke was 2-3 for the Ponies and teammates Becky Nelson and Taylor Pfeuti collected six walks combined.
Pecatonica 4, Albany 0
ALBANY - Pecatonica junior Kaci Cassidy pitched a complete game three-hit shutout.
The Vikings scored two runs right off the bat. Ellie Gifford and Cassidy led off with back-to-back singles and Amanda Schoepp came through with a clutch two-run single to right to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Pecatonica added to their lead as Albany starting pitcher Katie Krupke walked two in the second and Michala Boese followed with an RBI single to center to make it 3-0.
Krupke pitched a complete game and struck out nine.
Albany left fielder Megan Farley made a running catch in the seventh to rob Cassidy of a base hit.
"It was a great catch. She turned around and ran hard, then looked for the ball just the way she is supposed to. It was a great play," Albany coach Connie Wunschel said.
The Comets committed three errors, but didn't give up a passed ball. Katie Sutherland, Clare Koopmans and Abby Kauk collected hits for the Comets.
"We have been positive every time," Wunschel said. "We cut down on our errors and passed balls. Our confidence is still wishy-washy, though."
Juda 5, Barneveld 4
BARNEVELD - The Panthers remained unbeaten with a comeback 5-4 win over Barneveld.
Juda (7-7, 5-0 Six Rivers East) rallied from a 3-1 deficit with a four-run third inning.
Juda junior Tabitha Theiler reached on an error in the third. Freshman Katlyn DeVoe singled. Tara Allen then hit a clutch game-tying two-run double to tie the game at 3. Juda sophomore Megan Trotter laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Allen with the go-ahead run. Freshman CJ Dunwiddie then came through with an RBI single to give the Panthers a 5-3 lead.
"I told the girls, 'We will get our runs and chances,'" Juda coach Bill Davis said. "I just said, 'Let's keep hitting the ball hard and good things will happen.'"
Fellow freshman Amber Ramos pitched a complete game to get the win. Ramos gave up four runs on five hits. She struck out nine and walked just two. Ramos survived a scare in the seventh when a line drive was hit off her chest and she recovered to throw a batter out at first. Ramos went 2-for-3 at the plate and Allen was 2-4.
In other action, Black Hawk lost to Cuba City in a non-conference game 10-0.
