FORT ATKINSON — The Cheesemakers were swept by the Blackhawks April 16 in two games that could not have been much more different.
“It was a tale of two different games,” Monroe coach Eric Losenegger said after his team’s 3-2 and 10-2 defeats.
In the first game, Fort Atkinson won on a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh. Michael Lange started for the Cheesemakers and pitched 4.1 no-hit innings and was pulled with one out in the sixth when Fort hit back-to-back singles.
“Michael pitched well,” Losenegger said.
Lefty Payton Sawdey took over on the mound and his first pitch was wild, allowing both runners to move up a base. Sawdey struck out the batter, but then allowed a 2-RBI single to the next batter, putting Fort ahead 2-1.
Jared Dillon led off the top of the seventh with a single and Trevor Meier doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Dagan Rach then hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game. Courtesy runner Zach Ripp was left stranded at third. In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Fort’s Nolan Jensen doubled home James Vander Mause to end the game.
“We left a few guys on base that we wish we could have brought in,” Losenegger said.
The second game of the twinbill, a 10-2 Blackhawks win, saw the Cheesemakers put up a drastically weaker fight.
“We had no energy in that second game. It’s a little disappointing because we had them on the ropes in the first game,” Losenegger said.
Fort scored a run in the first and led 4-0 after the second. Monroe managed a run in each of the third and fourth innings and trailed 5-2 headed into the sixth. Fort scored five runs in the final two innings. The Cheesemakers had just two hits and committed three errors in the field.
Meier took the loss on the mound, tossing five innings and allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and three walks with a strikeout. Jared Cline pitched the final two innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and a walk with four Ks.
Payton Stauffacher had an RBI single for Monroe, and Rach doubled.
Barneveld 12, Monticello-Albany 0
BARNEVELD — The Ponies were held to just two hits in a five-inning loss to the Eagles April 15.
Kollin Klitzke allowed nine runs on eight hits, three walks and a hit batter in 2.1 innings. He struck out three. Andy Gertsch threw an inning in relief, and Andrew Eyler added another 2/3 of an inning.
Luke Johnson and Josh Dahl had the only hits on the night for Monticello-Albany. Barneveld’s Chase Ignatius struck out eight on 67 pitches in five innings on the mound. Ignatius was also 2 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs, two runs and a double. Seth Sullivan added three hits for the Eagles.
Argyle 5, Monticello-Albany 4
MONTICELLO — The Orioles scratched across the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to fend off the Ponies April 16.
Argyle took a 1-0 lead in the first and tallied another run in the third, but Monticello-Albany scored four times in the fifth to take a 4-2 advantage. The Orioles then scored twice in the sixth to tie the game. Gavin Johnson scored the game-winning run with bases loaded on a wild pitch.
Johnson also got the win on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings in relief, allowing no hits and three walks while striking out six batters. Mitchell Flannery started on the mound for Argyle, throwing 4.1 innings with four strikeouts, four walks and allowing six hits.
Dahl was tagged for the loss in relief for Monticello-Albany. Dahl went two innings, allowing a hit and four walks while striking out three. Corbin Kelley struck out four in five innings, giving up four runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter.
Johnson was 2 for 3 at the plate with a double and had four steals, while Clay Ritschard was 2 for 4 with a triple. Jayden Johnson also had two hits for Argyle. Devin Holtz and Andy Eyler each doubled for the Ponies.
Argyle 17, Black Hawk 5
WIOTA — The Orioles led 5-2 after the second inning of their April 15 Six Rivers East game, but the Warriors made it a one-run game in the third.
Argyle responded with a 7-run fourth inning and tacked two more in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Gavin Johnson was 4 for 4 with a triple and four RBIs, while Miken Godfrey was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and BJ Penniston 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Jake Ploessl was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with a walk, two RBIs, three runs and a pair of doubles.
The Orioles unloaded for 14 hits and eight walks, chasing Black Hawk starter Avery Baumgartner with two outs in the fourth. Baumgartner allowed 10 runs on seven hits and five walks in 3.2 innings while striking out five. Jexen Stietz pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits and three walks.
Miken Godfrey, Ploessl, Gavin Johnson and Travis Dammen all took turns pitching for Argyle, scattering four hits and eight walks.
Pecatonica 10, Black Hawk 0
BLANCHARDVILLE — Lane Busser allowed just one baserunner as the Vikings dominated the Warriors April 16.
The lone Black Hawk hit came with two outs in the top of the first off the bat of Baumgartner. Busser settled in from there, striking out eight over six innings. Only one of the 18 outs against Busser were hit into the air, while nine were infield groundouts.
“Lane was great for us today. He kept the ball down,” Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said.
Busser was 2 for 4 at the plate with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Colton Schraepfer was 2 for 2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, three steals and three runs. Everett Johnson had two RBIs.
Pecatonica found its groove on offense in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs. Busser hit a 2-RBI double with one out to plate the game’s first runs. Three batters later, Busser and Zander Brunker both scored on wild pitches during Bo Hendrickson’s at-bat with two outs.
Brunker singled home Schraepfer in the fifth, and then Pecatonica lit up the scoreboard for five runs in the sixth, ending the game via mercy rule.
Hunter Enloe, Johnson and Bo Hendrickson drove in runs in the inning.
Jayden Stietz took the loss on the mound, pitching 5.1 innings on 96 pitches, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and five walks. Rece Shelton took the ball for the final 14 pitches, walking Brunker and striking out Hendrickson before Brock Miller scored the game-ending run on a wild pitch with two outs.
Mineral Point 11, Darlington 1
DARLINGTON — Carter Lancaster had two hits for the Redbirds, but it wasn’t enough in their April 16 loss to the Pointers, a state qualifier a season ago.
Preston Banfield took the loss on the mound, allowing just two hits and three walks with four strikeouts, but surrendering seven runs (five earned). Nick Andrae pitched an inning in relief. Both hurlers allowed a home run.
Mineral Point led 2-1 after the first inning, and that score held until the Pointers knocked out Banfield with a five-run fifth. Andrae gave up four runs in the sixth.
