MONROE — The Cheesemakers picked up back-to-back wins April 11-12, defeating Lodi in a nonconference game, and then Stoughton in a Badger Conference contest.
In an 11-4 win over Lodi, Monroe fell behind 2-1 after the first inning. A two-run third put Lodi ahead 4-1 for the moment, but the Cheesemakers rallied with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Katrina Sathoff tripled in a pair of runs with no one out, then Kate Kundert drove her battery mate home with a groundout to second, evening the score at 4-4.
In the bottom of the fourth, Brinley Roidt took advantage of pitcher-catcher miscues. She reached on a hit by pitch, advanced to second on a Karis Paulson single. Three pitches later, the ball hit the backstop on a wild pitch, which advanced both runners. A dropped-third strike on Sloane Ambrose led to Roidt scoring and Paulson reaching third — all while Ambrose was called safe on a bang-bang play at first. Sathoff then executed a squeeze bunt to third, scoring Paulson on a play at the plate. Sophie Golembiewski then hit a sacrifice to left to score Ambrose, giving Monroe a 7-4 advantage.
The Cheesemakers scored four more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Sathoff was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Paulson was 2-for-2 with two walks and a double. Sathoff pitched the first four innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits and three walks. Ambrose closed it out with a three-inning save, allowing a hit and a walk.
The next day at Stoughton, the Cheesemakers used a late surge to pull away.
The Vikings led 1-0 after the first, 4-3 after three and 8-6 after the fifth inning. However, Monroe scored twice in the sixth to push it to extra innings, then batted around in the eighth, scoring six runs.
In the sixth, Sathoff singled on the first pitch of the inning, and two pitches later Golembiewski hit a line drive to center, with both runners advancing on the throw. Kate Kunder then drove in a run on a groundout to short. Olivia Feller then singled home Golembiewski to even it up.
In the eighth, Kundert reached on an error to lead off the frame, and Feller followed up with a single. A sacrifice by Sydnee Conway advanced both runners, and substitute Emma Tran came up big with a two-run single to center to put Monroe ahead.
Olivia Feller was 4-for-5 for Monroe, while Sydnee Conway, Golembiewski and Paulson each had three hits.
Sathoff tossed the first five innings, allowing eight runs (five earned), including two home runs by Riese Kaepke. Golembiewski pitched the final three innings for Monroe, picking up the win in a scoreless effort, allowing just two hits while striking out three.
