MONROE — The Cheesemakers picked up a big conference win April 18 over Edgewood, then went unbeaten at its own tournament April 20 to cap an unbeaten week.

In the four games, pitcher Olivia Bobak struck out 49 total batters, including 13 against Edgewood in the 8-1 Badger South win. In the nonconference tournament, senior Hailey Betthauser put on a hitting display, hitting a home run each of Monroe’s three games.

“I felt really good. I felt like I’ve been OK lately, but today I felt really loose and was throwing good,” Bobak said after the 8-1 win over Edgewood.

Monroe 8, Edgewood 1

In a battle for Badger South supremacy, it was the Cheesemakers (8-2, 4-0) that came out on top. Both teams entered unbeaten in conference play and sat at the top of the standings with then-unbeaten Watertown (3-1, 3-1), which lost to Monona Grove (1-5, 1-5).

Edgewood (7-2, 4-1) scored its only run in the top of the first inning. Monroe battled back, scoring three runs in the third, two in the fourth and three more in the fifth to take a commanding lead.

“What I really liked is we instituted the short game,” Cheesemakers coach Joe O’Leksy said. “We were having a little bit of trouble because the pitching was good — in and out and slow — and we were having a hard time adjusting to the speed. So, we went to the short game, got a little momentum, and then started hitting the ball and tracking better.”

After Sloane Ambrose walked with one out in the bottom of the third, Alyse Maurer and Betthauser reached on bunts. Sydney Updike then made it 2-0 with an RBI groundout, and Bobak smoked an RBI triple to right center to make it 3-0.

“I feel like we were all getting stressed at the plate, and I felt like that kind of busted it open a little bit. Everyone loosened up, including myself, and we all played really well after that,” Bobak said.

Updike and Bobak, batting 3-4 in the order, each finished 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run.

In the next inning, Katie Hayes led off with a walk, and courtesy runner Karis Paulson reached third on a bunt by Lizzie Snider, who reached on an error. Sarah Prien then reached on an infield error, which brought home Paulson. Snider scored one batter later on a single to center by Ambrose.

Prien later hit a late double to break the back of the Crusaders and cap a 3-run fifth. 

“Edgewood has five really good players, and a couple of them are going to play in college at some point,” O’Leksy said. “They are going to be able to beat some teams.”

Bobak allowed just three hits and a walk on the mound. 

“She really picked up the pace. She hasn’t been hitting her spots, but she’s still been throwing hard, but now she was hitting her spots. And now the movement pitches start working,” O’Leksy said. “Once we get ahead and getting first-pitch strikes, now we can do stuff. We were going to the rise ball and they were chasing on that. Then we went to the changeup and they were popping it up on the infield, which is exactly what it’s supposed to do.”

Monroe Tournament

Game 1: Monroe 10, Tomahawk 0

Bobak struck out 13 and allowed just one hit in the six-inning shutout. She threw 84 total pitches, 62 of which for strikes (73.8%).

Grace Tostrud went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs at the dish, and Updike and Katie Hayes each hit doubles. 

Betthauser broke a scoreless tie on the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth inning, homering to center. Hayes hit an RBI double four batters later to make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Updike doubled home Alyse Maurer and Betthauser, with Tostrud singling home Updike two batters later.

The Cheesemakers put the nail in the coffin in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a couple of Tomahawk defensive miscues. Tostrud’s RBI double to center capped a five-run inning and ended the game by mercy rule with an out to go in the frame.

Game 2: Monroe 10, Pearl City 0

Bobak’s reign of terror on Easter weekend continued in the second game of the tournament, as she finished with 12 strikeouts while allowing five hits and a walk in six innings of work. She also went 2 for 4 at the plate with a double, RBI and a run scored.

Updike and Betthauser also had a pair of hits for Monroe. Maurer tripled and scored twice in the leadoff spot, and Sloane Ambrose and Tostrud also doubled for the Cheesemakers.

Betthauser got the scoring started in the top of the third. After Maurer worked a full-count walk, Betthauser smashed an 0-2 pitch to center for her second home run of the day.

The score stood at 2-0 until the top of the fifth, when Updike roped a single up the middle, scoring Ambrose and Betthauser. Two batters later Tostrud doubled to left, driving in two. Tostrud would later steal home on as Pearl City tried to gun down Karis Paulson at second base.

In the sixth, Maurer tripled to drive in Maddy Leck with no one out, then Updike hit an RBI single to score Maurer. Bobak drove in the game’s final run on a groundout to shortstop.

Game 3: Monroe 4, Orangeville 3

The Cheesemakers never trailed in the tournament championship game.

Maurer reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first and promptly stole second base. Betthauser then laid down a bunt, but Broncos catcher Tessa Janecke fired errantly to first, which allowed Maurer to score and Betthauser to advance to third. Updike then reached on an error by shortstop Katie Boomgarden, her second of the inning, and Betthauser touched home to make it 2-0.

The disaster start to Orangeville’s inning ended without any more runs crossing home.

Janecke got redemption in the top of the third, homering to center.

Monroe made it 3-1 in the fourth. Lizzy Snider walked and stole second and third on consecutive pitchers to the next batter. Ambrose drove in the run on an infield groundout. 

Betthauser added a key insurance run with her third homer of the day to right field on the first pitch she saw to lead off the sixth. Orangeville scored another run in the sixth, but Bobak shut down the Broncos the rest of the way.

Bobak finished the game with 11 strikeouts, eight hits and two walks allowed. She also hit a batter. Monroe could only manage four hits against the Broncos. Tori Plowman allowed three hits, a walk and two earned runs in five innings of work. Boomgarden was relieved for an inning at the end. The two combined for six strikeouts.

Janecke was 3 for 4 at the dish, coming up a triple shy of the cycle.