Cheese Beat Whitewater, Take 3rd In Their Own Tournament

The Monroe Cheesemakers played four games over three days and went 3-1 last week after beating Whitewater April 24 and taking third place at their own tournament on April 26 in softball.

The Cheesemakers played at Whitewater in a RVC-Valley Division game on April 24 and edged the Whippets 3-2, scoring the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. The Cheesemakers were helped by Whitewater committing five errors. Senior pitcher Kaegann Paulson spread out six hits and struck out eight. Paulson also had two hits and two RBIs. Senior centerfielder Chesney Slotten drove in a run and scored a run. Senior catcher Brinley Roidt had two hits, including a double. The win puts the Cheesemakers’ Rock Valley Conference record at 6-0.

Monroe hosted its own tournament at Twining Park on April 26. First, they lost to Lake Geneva Badger, 9-3. Badger built up an 8-0 lead in the fourth inning before the Cheesemakers got on the board. Monroe committed five errors, allowing Badger to score seven unearned runs. Paulson took the loss, allowing two earned runs on nine hits. Paulson also fanned nine batters. Senior third baseman Alexis Herbst went 2x4 with a run scored.  Senior second baseman Olivia Feller had a double, a run scored, and an RBI as the Cheese fell to 11-4 overall.

Next, the Cheesemakers played Reedsburg and scratched out a 2-0 win. Paulson and sophomore Paizley Kundert scored runs for the Cheesemakers. Monroe scored the only run they needed in the first inning, but got an insurance run in the seventh. Paulson held Reedsburg in check by pitching a four-hit shutout to improve the Cheesemakers to 12-4 overall.

The Cheesemakers faced the Tomahawk Hatchets for third place in the tournament and came up with an 8-2 win. Monroe scored three runs in the first inning, but Tomahawk responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Those would be the only runs allowed by the Cheese as Monroe blanked the Hatchets the rest of the way and got three runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth. Paulson blasted a two-run homer and Roidt had two hits and two RBIs to lead Monroe. Senior Sophie Golembiewski got a hit, two walks, drove in a run, scored two runs, and pitched the final two innings, getting a pair of strikeouts. 

The Cheesemakers are now 6-0 in the RVC-Valley and 13-4 overall. Monroe moved up to #3 in Division 2 in the latest Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll. The Cheesemakers host second place Jefferson (5-1)  on April 29 at Twining Park.

Monticello-New Glarus Shuts Out Highland

Junior shortstop Molly Olson had two RBIs and scored a run and freshman pitcher Heidi Olson scattered three hits in a complete game shutout, leading the Monticello-New Glarus Ponies to a 5-0 win over the Highland Cardinals in Six Rivers Conference softball April 24 at Monticello. Senior Karlee Wilkins got a hit and an RBI while juniors Eliza Legris and Brooke Ryan each got a hit and scored a run. The Ponies scored two runs in the first inning and two more runs in the second inning to take control. The Ponies also benefitted from four errors by the Cardinals. Monticello-New Glarus improved to 5-3 in the Six Rivers Conference with the win and 7-3 overall. 

Pecatonica Gets Just One Hit in 3-0 Loss To Potosi-Cassville

The Pecatonica Vikings got just one hit — a double by shortstop Katie Jorenby — in a 3-0 loss to the Potosi-Cassville Lady Chieftains in a Six Rivers softball game on April 24. The Chieftains got the only run they needed in the first inning off Pecatonica pitcher Diana Hendrickson, who gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits. Hendrickson struck out five batters and walked just one. With the loss, the Vikings fell to 3-5 in the Six Rivers Conference and 3-8 overall. Pecatonica was scheduled to host Juda-Albany on April 28.

Juda-Albany Sweeps Doubleheader From Benton-Shullsburg

The Juda-Albany Panthers climbed over the .500 mark for the season by sweeping Benton-Shullsburg in a doubleheader on April 24 at Albany. 

In game one, junior Emerson Briggs pitched a two-hitter and drove in three runs to lead Jubany to an 11-1 win over Benton-Shullsburg in Six Rivers Conference action. Sophomore Anna Bartels was 3x4 with two RBIs and three runs scored while junior Rianna Sullivan went 2x4 with two RBIs. Sophomore Phoenix Homan had a triple, an RBI, and scored a run. 

In the nightcap, the Panthers used a five-run fourth inning to lift themselves to an 11-6 win over Benton-Shullsburg. Briggs pitched four innings in relief and got six strikeouts while freshman Ryleigh Brown started and got four strikeouts in three innings. Bartels had a 3x4 day with a double and four RBIs. Briggs was also 3x4 with two RBIs. The two wins puts the Panthers at 4-5 in the Six Rivers and 7-6 overall.

Risum Pitches Gem Leading Cardinals To 6-0 Win Over Columbus 

Senior Ava Risum pitched a three-hit shutout and senior Tatum Ceslok clubbed a home run and drove in two runs to lead the Brodhead Cardinals to a 6-0 win over the Columbus Cardinals in non-conference softball on April 25. It was the third straight shutout for Brodhead. Risum struck out nine and walked none in facing just two batters over the minimum. Risum also had two hits and a run scored. Tatum Ceslok belted a two-out, two-run homer in the third and scored twice. Junior second baseman Keegan Steinke got a hit and had two RBIs. The Cardinals keep pace with Turner for first place in the Rock Valley conference Rock Division. Turner is 6-2 and Brodhead is a half-game back at 5-2. Brodhead is also 7-2 overall. Brodhead played a non-conference game at Dodgeville on April 28.

Fennimore Defeats Darlington 6-1

Fennimore’s Kayahana Furrer hit a home run and stopped Darlington on one hit over four innings to lead the Golden Eagles to a 6-1 win over the Darlington Redbirds in SWAL conference action on April 24 at Fennimore. Senior right fielder Maddy Corely scored the only run of the game for the Redbirds. Darlington trailed 2-1 going into the fifth inning, but the Golden Eagles put up four runs over the next two innings to pull away. Junior Sydney Wiegel pitched six innings for the Redbirds and allowed six runs, four earned, with four walks and four strikeouts. Darlington drops to 1-6 in the SWAL with the loss, and 1-10 overall. The Redbirds next game was scheduled for April 28 at Mineral Point.

Belleville Beaten 3-1 By Waterloo

The Belleville Wildcats were held scoreless through the first six innings in a 3-1 loss to the Waterloo Lady Pirates in a Capitol South game on April 24 at Waterloo. Sophomore Bryn Prochaska doubled and scored on sophomore Anna Alexander’s base hit in the seventh inning, but that would be all the offense the Wildcats could produce in dropping their fifth straight game. It was a tough luck loss for Belleville junior Sophie Fossum, who allowed three runs on six hits. Fossum struck out two and walked five. Belleville remains winless in the Capitol South at 0-5 and 1-8 overall. The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Rio/Fall River on April 28.

Argyle-Black Hawk Falls To River Ridge 4-2

The River Ridge Timberwolves scored two runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth inning to turn back the Argyle-Black Hawk Orioles in Six Rivers Conference softball on April 24 at Bloomington, the first of seven straight road games for Argyle-Black Hawk. The Orioles could only muster five hits off River Ridge starting pitcher Erin Adrian. Sophomore Brianna Wilhelmson got two hits and an RBI and sophomore catcher Ava Wiegel drove in the Orioles other run. Senior starting pitcher Mya McNett scored both runs for Argyle-Black Hawk and pitched a complete game, allowing four runs on five hits. McNett struck out four and walked five. The loss puts Argyle-Black Hawk at 2-7 in the Six Rivers Conference, 6-8 overall. The Orioles were scheduled to play at Belmont on April 28 and at Juda-Albany on April 29.