MONTICELLO - Despite a five-run third, Monticello-New Glarus dropped its sec- ond extra-inning game of the season to Parkview 11-9 on Monday, April 4.
“Our goal is to be competitive in all games, and to play back-to-back eight-inning games helps us to approach games with the expectation that we can win,” Monticello-New Glarus head coach Mitchell Cernek said. “We could just as easily be 2-0 right now as 0-2, and all of our girls know that. We know that we'll face some of the best teams in the state in Six Rivers Conference play soon, and we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Parkview scored six runs in the top of the first with five hits and two walks.
The Ponies chipped away with two runs in the bottom of the second. Karlee Wilkins led off with a walk, and Megan Peterson followed with a single to left. The two advanced on a ground out by Melanie Fink, which put Wilkins 60 feet from home.
She came around to score on a passed ball by Vikings' starting pitcher Abby Anderson.
MNG used its speed to score a second run with run- ners on the corners. Kira Whisler drew a throw stealing second, which allowed Peterson to score.
After a three-up threedown inning from Molly Olson, Monticello-New Glarus used its second-inning momentum to score five runs in the third.
Dalana Trumpy led off with a walk and stole second.
She came around to score on an RBI single from Grace Seffrood. Wilkins walked again, and she and Seffrood moved up a base on a double steal. Peterson grounded out to shortstop Katelynn Weeks to score Seffrood. After a five-pitch walk to Fink, Whisler tied the game at six
with a two-RBI single to cen ter. She advanced to third on a steal and error, setting up Tatum O'Bel for an RBI sin gle to take the lead.
In the next two innings, both teams scored two runs.
The Vikings took advan tage of a hit by pitch and walk in the fourth. Weeks then came through with an RBI single. In the fifth, two Parkview batters reached on walks, and Anderson sacrificed herself for a run.
Monticello-New Glarus took three walks in the fourth, allowing Fink to collect an RBI single to center. In the fifth, Seffrood's RBI double to center gave the Ponies a 9-8 lead.
Parkview tied the game again at nine in the top of the sixth. Cernek replaced Olson on the mound, giving O'Bel an opportunity to earn the save. She threw 10 straight balls with a wild pitch that allowed Jazmyn Wiedmer to score.
Olson returned to the circle and got out of the inning with a pop up and ground out.
"It's easy to forget that Molly is a freshman because of how she carries herself,” Cernek said. “Molly shows up and competes each day with humility, confidence, and composure, and is also one of our most competitive players. What Molly has shown us as a pitcher so far is that she is able to stay calm in stressful and high-pressure moments.”
Olson faced adversity again in the top of the seventh, as Wiedmer's double put run ners on second and third with two outs. Olson intentionally walked Weeks to load the bases, creating a force out at each base. She then got Joey Meyers to ground out to end the inning.
Tollakson drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning, and she attempted to steal on the first pitch of Sadie Wilkins' at-bat. Instead of having a runner in scoring position, MNG ran itself out of the inning, as Wiedmer threw Tollakson out at second.
Parkview took an 11-9 lead in the eighth inning, scoring on two passed balls by relief pitcher Whisler.
The Ponies loaded the bases with three straight walks in the bottom half of the frame, but relief pitcher Kylie Stark escaped the jam by inducing a pop up and striking out the final batter.
Whisler suffered the loss.
She pitched one inning, allowing one earned run on one hit. She walked three and struck out two. Seffrood led at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Although she didn't record a hit, Karlee Wilkins reached base four times via walk.
