PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — The Monroe softball team traveled to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for its spring break and a pair of games.
The Cheesemakers ended their trip with a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Brownsville, Penn. The Falcons scored twice in the first and added another run in the third.
Monroe got on the board in the fourth with hits from Kate Kundert and Kaegann Paulson. With an inside-the-park homerun from Brinley Roidt, the Cheesemakers took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half of the frame, Brownsville tied the game up with a walk, hit by pitch and passed ball.
With back-to-back singles from Paulson and Katrina Sathoff, Monroe took the lead for good 5-4 in the top of the sixth. Sophie Golembiewski, who relieved Paulson in the fifth, sat the remaining Falcons down in order the last two innings to pick up the win.
Paulson led Monroe at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Olivia Feller and Sathoff recorded two hits each, while Roidt led the team with two RBIs. In the circle, Paulson got the start. She went four innings, allowing three earned runs on two hits. She struck out eight while walking four. Golembiewski picked up the win in relief, throwing three hitless innings with three strikeouts.
LACONIA 10, MONROE 6
PIGEON FORGE — A six-run sixth inning from the Spartans proved to be the difference in Monroe’s season opener on Thursday, March 23.
After a first-inning run by Laconia, Monroe scored four runs in three innings to take the lead. Roidt led off the second inning, getting hit by the pitch. Kundert moved her over with a sacrifice bunt, and Roidt advanced to third on a groundout by Emma Tran. Sydnee Conway’s hit plated Roidt to tie the game.
The Cheesemakers used their small-ball game and speed to generate another run in the third. Sathoff led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Feller. After two pitches, Sathoff took third and scored on an error.
Paulson helped herself at the plate in the fourth with an RBI single that plated pinch runner Addison Gille. She then stole two bases and scored on a throwing error by the catcher for a 4-1 lead.
The Spartans gained momentum in the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits and a walk. Laconia took its energy to defense, allowing just four Cheesemakers to see the plate in the bottom of the fifth. In the top of the sixth, the Spartans picked up right where they left off in the fifth, scoring another six runs.
Although Monroe responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run inside-the-park homerun by Conway, the Cheesemakers were unable to generate more runs in the seventh.
Paulson, Kundert and Conway tallied two hits each to lead the offense. As a pinch runner, Gille scored two runs. Paulson suffered the loss, giving up eight earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out three but walked four. Golembiewski threw the final inning of relief, striking out two.
