Three Runs In the 7th Help Cheesemakers Rally To Beat Top-Ranked Jefferson 3-2
The Monroe Cheesemakers were looking to avenge a 2-0 loss to Jefferson on April 29 to keep pace with the Eagles for first place in the Rock Valley-Valley. Jefferson is the No. 1 ranked team in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association. Playing at home, the Cheesemakers were confident they could compete with the Eagles. However, the Eagles led 2-0 after six innings and Eagles pitcher Ashlyn Enke had a no-hitter going. In the seventh inning, Monroe was down to its last out. Senior Sophie Golembiewski struck out on a foul tip. Senior Brinley Roidt struck out swinging for the second out. Then, senior Olivia Feller broke up Enke’s no-hit bid with single to center. Feller advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Senior Alexis Herbst lined an RBI single to right to score Feller and make the score 2-1. Sophomore Kaya Holverson came in as a pinch runner for Feller. That brought sophomore Paizley Kundert to the plate, who reached second base on a fielder’s choice as Holverson beat a throw to third. Enke reached her pitch limit and was replaced by Hildie Dempsy for Jefferson. Down by a run with two outs, freshman shortstop Jade Hawkinson ripped a triple to left to score Kundert and Holverson and give the Cheesemakers an improbable 3-2 win. The win allowed the Cheesemakers to tie Jefferson for first place in the RVC-Valley with 11-2 records. Monroe (18-6) is ranked fifth in the latest Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association (WFSCA) poll. The Cheesemakers were slated to host East Troy on May 15 before they close the regular season at home on May 22.
Cheesemakers Crush East Troy 19-2
Alexis Herbst and Sophie Golembiewski each drove in three runs and the Monroe Cheesemakers scored in every inning in a 19-2 rout in five innings of the East Troy Trojans on May 13 at East Troy. The Cheese banged out 14 hits and capitalized on seven errors by the Trojans. Kaegann Paulson struck out eight in four innings and allowed two runs on two hits. Brinley Roidt went 2x4 with two doubles two RBIs and Jayde Hawkinson hit a triple and drove in two runs as the Cheesemakers won their fourth straight game.
Monticello-New Glarus Wins Over Evansville
The Monticello-New Glarus Ponies got their 13th win of the season by beating Evansville 11-2 on May 12. There was no score until the fourth inning when the Ponies scored four runs. The Ponies got six runs in the seventh inning to take control. Freshman pitcher Mallory Miller kept the Blue Devils scoreless until the seventh inning. Junior Brooke Ryan and junior Molly Olson each hit a home run for the Ponies. Olson went 2x4 and drove in three runs. Senior Sadie Wilkins went 2x4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Monticello-New Glarus ripped five extra-base hits. Monticello-New Glarus improved to 10-4 in the Six Rivers and 13-5 overall.
Barneveld Takes Big Early Lead To Roll Past Monticello-New Glarus
The Barneveld Golden Eagles wasted no time in getting a big lead and beat the Monticello-New Glarus Ponies 13-4 in Six Rivers softball on May 13. Barneveld scored five runs in the first inning, and five more in the second inning to grab a 10-2 and not look back. Freshman Heidi Olson and freshman Mallory Miller each hit a home run and drove in two runs for the Ponies. Barneveld is the front-runner, along with Belmont, in the Six Rivers and is ranked No. 2 in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll. Monticello-New Glarus slipped to 10-5 in the Six Rivers Conference with the loss and 13-6 overall.
The Ponies game against Cambridge at home on May 15 was postponed. MNG was also slated to travel to Belmont for a conference game on May 16.
Juda-Albany Loses To Barneveld, Wins Against Durand
The Juda-Albany Panthers hosted two games on May 12 and lost in a Six Rivers game and won a nonconference game.
The Panthers hosted Six Rivers front-runner Barneveld and lost 3-2. The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the third inning, which proved to be the difference. The Panthers hurt themselves with five errors. Anna Ellinger scored both runs for Jubany with one run in the third inning and the other in the fifth. The Panthers threatened to tie the game or take the lead in the sixth. Juda-Albany had runners on first and third and only one out. However, Rianna Sullivan was picked off third for the second out. Kierra Cleasby advanced to second and tried to score on a pop fly in short center field but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Emerson Briggs took the hard-luck loss giving up three runs on eight hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
The Panthers recovered and got a 5-4 nonconference win over the Durand Bulldogs in the second game. Durand led 3-1 after four innings, but the Panthers scored four times in the fifth inning to re-take the lead. Phoenix Homan went 2x3 with two RBIs and scored a run. Ryleigh Brown got two hits and a walk and also scored a run. Anna Bartels drove in a run and scored a run for Jubany. Brown pitched all seven innings and allowed four runs on six hits. She walked none and struck out three. Juda-Albany improved to 11-9 overall with the win.
Briggs Pitches and Hits Jubany To Win Over Pec
Juda-Albany’s Emerson Briggs used her arm and her bat to lead the Panthers to a 7-0 win over the Pecatonica Vikings in Six Rivers conference softball on May 13. In addition to pitching a three-hit shutout, Briggs, a junior, went 2x4 at the plate with two RBIs and scored a run. Catcher Phoenix Homan also had two hits, including a double and two RBIs for Juda-Albany. The top of the order for the Panthers of Ryleigh Brown, Anna Ellinger, and Briggs collectively went 6x10 with three RBIs and five runs scored. Briggs walked just one batter and struck out seven. Juda-Albany evened their conference record to 8-8 with the win and 12-9 overall. The Panthers were scheduled to play at River Ridge on May 15 and at Iowa-Grant on May 16.
Long Balls Help Argyle-Black Hawk Down Pec
Senior Ava Wiegel and junior Kylie Butler hit home runs and the Argyle-Black Hawk Orioles scored five runs in the fifth inning to break a 6-6 tie and get a 12-6 win over the Pecatonica Vikings in Six Rivers softball on May 12. Butler went 3x3 and drove in five runs with three runs scored to lead the Orioles. Wiegel was 3x4 with an RBI and a run scored. Centerfielder Maddy Lange got two hits in three at-bats and scored two runs for Argyle-Black Hawk. For Pecatonica, Mikaela Gross had a big day by going 2x4 with two doubles, five RBIs and a run scored. Senior Mya McNett pitched all seven innings for the Orioles, allowing six runs with five walks and six strikeouts. Argyle-Black Hawk improved to 3-13 in the conference and 8-15 overall with the win. Pecatonica dropped to 3-12 in the conference and 6-15 overall with the loss. On May 15, Argyle-Black Hawk was scheduled to host Benton-Shullsburg while Pecatonica was to be at Belmont.
Belleville Shutout, One-Hit By Marshall
Marshall pitcher Makayla Nemec fired a one-hit shut out in beating the Belleville Wildcats 12-0 in five innings on May 13 at Belleville. Story Fossum’s base hit for the Wildcats was the only thing that prevented Nemec from getting a five inning perfect game as Nemec faced just one batter over the minimum. Ava Benash and Bryn Prochaska pitched for Belleville and combined to get six strikeouts. The Wildcats were also plagued by eight errors. Belleville dropped to 1-7 in the Capitol South and 3-13 overall. The Wildcats were to play at Lodi in a Capitol Conference crossover game on May 15.
Iowa-Grant Takes Early Lead and Beats Darlington 15-7
The Iowa-Grant Panthers grabbed an early lead and beat the Darlington Redbirds 15-7 in SWAL softball on May 13. The Panthers jumped out to a 9-2 lead by the third inning and the Redbirds could not catch up. Junior Kylie Crist went 1x4 with a base hit and two RBIs to lead Darlington. Freshman Isabelle Winkers had two hits and drove in a run. Junior Sydney Wiegel and senior Ella Winslow each had a hit and an RBI for the Redbirds. Darlington’s record fell to 2-10 in the SWAL and 2-16 overall. The Redbirds have two games remaining in the regular season, May 15 at Riverdale and May 19 at home against Fennimore.
Southwestern Shuts Down Darlington 7-0
Southwestern pitcher Morgan Muller shut down the Darlington Redbirds on four hits in the Wildcats 7-0 win over the Redbirds at Darlington on May 12 in SWAL conference softball. Senior Ella Winslow, sophomore Raynie Norgard, senior Maddy Corley, and junior Kylie Crist produced the only hits for the Redbirds. It was the sixth time this season the Redbirds were shut out.
Big Inning For Brodhead Cardinals Leads To 10-4 Win Over Big Foot
The Brodhead Cardinals were three outs away from a loss to the Big Foot Chiefs on May 13. But, an 8-run seventh inning turned things around for the Cardinals, who came from behind and beat the Chiefs 10-4 at Walworth in Rock Valley-Rock action. With much of their offense coming to life in the top of the seventh inning, the Cardinals got two RBIs from catcher Karli Krumwiede and left fielder Natalie Pierce and doubles by second baseman Keegan Steinke and pitcher Ava Rusum to rally for the win. Shortstop Mady Henning also supplied some power by going 2x3 with a run scored and an RBI. Steinke went 3x4 and scored a run and Risum struck out 16 batters. Risum allowed just three hits, but two of them were home runs by the Chiefs. The Cardinals upped their record to 10-4 in the RVC-Rock and 15-4 overall. Brodhead is ranked No. 7 in Division 2 in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll. Brodhead played at Evansville on May 15 and at Deerfield on May 16.
