MONROE — The Monroe Cheesemakers had great pitching and great defense, but just didn’t have enough base runners and timely hitting to win against the Jefferson Eagles on Monday, May 4.
The Cheesemakers lost 1-0 to the Eagles in Rock Valley Conference, Valley Division action in a pitcher’s duel between Monroe’s Kaegann Paulson and Jefferson’s Natalie Weber.
The Eagles got the only run of the game in the first inning when Audrina Schroeder walked, stole second, and scored with two outs on Hannah Werning’s base hit.
The Cheesemakers had a couple of chances to score late in the game, but Weber was stingy, allowing Monroe just four hits and no walks.
In the sixth inning, Maddi Ruegsegger led off with a base hit and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Paulson was retired at first base on a ground ball to short. Ruegsegger tried to advance to third but was called out on a tag by Schroeder, playing at third base for the second out of the inning. Paizley Kundert popped out to end the inning.
In the seventh inning, Ivie Ellenson led off with a fly to right that was misplayed for a double. Amaria Collins came in as a pinch runner for Ellenson. Kaya Holverson dropped a bunt and sacrificed Collins to third for the first out. That’s when Weber got really tough, striking out pinch hitter Nalani Kundert on a called third strike and getting Annika Folk to strike out swinging to end the game. Weber finished with 10 strikeouts. For the Cheesemakers, it was their third loss in their last four games.
Paulson pitched a gem, but took a hard-luck loss allowing one run on eight hits, three walks and 11 strikeouts.
Jefferson 4, Monroe 2
JEFFERSON — In what turned in to be another pitcher’s duel, the Jefferson Eagles topped the Monroe Cheesemakers 4-2 in RVC-Valley softball on Tuesday, May 5 at Jefferson.
Both teams had four hits. Both teams committed three errors. Both teams had one-run leads that vanished. The difference in the game was a three-run sixth inning that put Jefferson ahead to stay.
The Eagles got on the board first as SS Nevaeh Milbrath led off the first inning with a home run to center field off Kaegann Paulson. The Cheesemakers got that run back in the top of the second inning as 1B Paizley Kundert doubled and scored on catcher Kaya Holverson’s ground out.
The Cheesemakers took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning when 3B Ivie Ellenson reached on an error. Bralyn Liphart came in to pinch run for Ellenson. After Kaya Holverson lined out on a sacrifice bunt attempt, Liphart remained at first. She advanced to second on Jade Tran’s sacrifice. Fiona Junk followed with a triple to left, which scored Liphart from second. With a runner at third, the Cheesemakers were looking for more, but Jefferson pitcher Natalie Weber struck out Amaria Collins to end the inning.
Monroe’s Kaegann Paulson retired 10 batters in a row until the bottom of the sixth inning when Schroeder smacked a home run to left with two outs to tie the game at 2-2. Jefferson added two more runs when Weber reached second on an error. Weber scored on a base hit by Werning, who advanced to second on another error. Werning scored when Aria Fetherston reached on the third error by the Cheesemakers in the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Monroe got the tying run to the plate with two outs when Jayde Hawkinson got on by an error, but Weber retired Ruegsegger to end the game.
It was another tough luck loss for Paulson, as she allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Weber was again tough on the Cheesemakers, giving up two runs, one earned, four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.
It was Monroe’s fourth loss in five games. The Cheesemakers (16-6, 5-4 RVC-Valley) had conference road games scheduled at Whitewater on Thursday, May 7 and at Clinton the next day.
Brodhead 23, Delavan-Darien 0
The Brodhead Cardinals scored eight runs in the first inning, 10 runs in the second inning, and five runs in the third to rack up a 23-0 win in three innings over the Delavan-Darien Comets in Rock Valley softball on Monday, May 4.
Starting pitcher Elise Rear was 4x4 at the plate with a triple and three RBIs and scored two runs. Catcher Karli Krumwiede went 3x3 with a walk and an RBI. Left fielder Natalie Pierce was 2x2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Mady Henning played at 1B and hit a three-run triple.
Elise Rear struck out eight of the 11 batters she faced and allowed one hit and one walk.
Turner 6, Brodhead 5
Elise Rear hit two home runs for the Brodhead Cardinals, but the Turner Trojans out-hit the Cardinals 12-7 and built a 6-1 lead on their way to a 6-5 win in RVC-Rock softball on Tuesday, May 5.
Elise Rear hit a solo shot in the first inning and connected for a three-run homer in the fifth inning to go 3x4 with four RBIs. Leah Rear was 3x4 with one RBI for the Cardinals.
Mady Henning took the loss, pitching seven innings, giving up six runs, five earned, on 12 hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
Brodhead (9-3-1) had Evansville scheduled for an RVC-Rock home game on Thursday, May 7, and then at Jefferson in a RVC crossover game on Friday, May 8.
Monticello-New Glarus 16, Pecatonica 3
Heidi Olson had two triples and two RBIs while Molly Olson hit a double and had three RBIs to lead the Monticello-New Glarus Ponies to a 16-3 pounding of the Pecatonica Vikings in five innings in Six Rivers Conference softball on Monday, May 4.
Mabel Jordan (2B) got a hit, drove in two runs and scored two runs for the Ponies.
Brooklyn Muench and Jenna Kurschner each had a hit and an RBI for the Vikings.
Monticello-New Glarus 18, Potosi-Cassville 6
Mabel Jordan could not be stopped as she went 5x5 with two doubles, four RBIs and scored three runs to lead Monticello-New Glarus to an 18-6 thrashing of Potosi-Cassville in a Six Rivers game on Tuesday, May 5.
Heidi Olson was 2x4 with three RBIs and Rayna Vogel went 2x5 with a double and a run batted in. The Ponies won their fourth straight game.
On Friday, May 8, Monticello-New Glarus (13-2) had a home Six Rivers game scheduled against River Ridge.
Belmont 11, Argyle-Black Hawk 2
The bottom-third of the Orioles lineup produced three hits and two runs, but Belmont over-powered Argyle-Black Hawk 11-2 on Monday, May 4 in a Six Rivers game.
Alexis Tregembo, Macy Harris and Brynn Harris got the Orioles’ three hits. Harris hit a double and scored the Orioles only run.
Argyle-Black Hawk 12, Pecatonica 0
Kylie Butler hit a triple and collected three RBIs and Lexi Wonders hit a double and scored two runs to help ABH get a shutout Six Rivers win over Pecatonica 12-0 on Tuesday, May 5.
Brianna Wilhelmson and Sam Kammes each had two runs batted in for ABH.
Leaha Doescher got two of the Vikings’ three hits in the game.
Brynn Harris pitched five innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts for Argyle-Black Hawk.
ABH (7-12) was scheduled to play at Benton-Shullsburg on Friday, May 8. Pecatonica (2-11) travels to River Ridge on Monday, May 11.
Juda-Albany 2, Potosi-Cassville 1
Lexi Eastwood smacked a two-run double with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Jubany to a 2-1 win over Potosi-Cassville in a Six Rivers game on Monday, May 4.
After a ground out to begin the inning, Phoenix Homan got a base hit. Olivia Brooks doubled to center putting runners on second and third. Eastwood followed with a drive to center that went for a double, driving in Homan and Brooks with the game-winning runs.
Brooks and Ryleigh Brown each had two hits for Jubany. Brown pitched a three-hitter, allowing one run, no walks, and striking out 12.
Juda-Albany 6, River Ridge 1
Starting pitcher Ryleigh Brown fanned 13 batters to lead Jubany to a 6-1 win over the River Ridge Timberwolves in a Six Rivers game on Tuesday, May 5.
Brown also went 2x4 at the plate, drove in a run and scored a run for Jubany. Lexi Eastwood had two hits and drove in a pair of runs while Emerson Briggs had two hits, an RBI, and scored a run.
To go along with her 13 strikeouts, Brown allowed just one run on two hits, and walked just one.
Juda-Albany (11-3-1) was to host River Ridge on Thursday, May 7 and Barneveld on Friday, May 8 in conference play.
Iowa-Grant 15, Darlington 4
Maicy Norgard and Raynie Norgard scored runs in the second inning on RBIs by Chloe O’Brien and Alivia Crosby but the Iowa-Grant Panthers ambushed the Redbirds with six runs in the first inning to win 15-4 in five innings on Monday, May 4 in SWAL softball.
Isabelle Winkers got two hits and scored two runs for the Redbirds in the loss.
Darlington (3-11, 1-7) was to travel to Southwestern for a SWAL game on Thursday, May 7.
Belleville 16, Madison La Follette/East 8
The Belleville Wildcats out-slugged Madison La Follette/East 16-8 in a nonconference game on Monday, May 4 with the help of a nine-run second inning.
The Wildcats sent 15 batters to the plate in the second inning which included seven singles, one triple, one walk, and three errors. Ava Chapman went 3x6 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Bryn Prochaska was 2x4 with a triple, two RBIs and scored two runs. Brynlee Shirley hit a triple and scored three runs.
Marshall 12, Belleville 11
Brynn Prochaska hit two home runs and drove in five runs, but the Marshall Cardinals hung on to win a wild Capitol South Conference game 12-11 on Tuesday, May 5.
Prochaska hit home runs in the third and seventh innings for the Wildcats, but they could not overcome a pair of five-run innings by the Cardinals in the second and fifth frames.
Belleville began the seventh inning down 12-9 when Prochaska belted a two-run homer with one out to pull the Wildcats to within a run, but the next two batters struck out.
Brynlee Shirley was 3x3 with two RBIs and Story Fossum was 4x4 with two RBIs for the Wildcats.
Belleville (4-13) was to host Wisconsin Heights in Capitol South softball on Thursday, May 7 and had a nonconference game scheduled at Edgerton on Friday, May 8.
