PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — The Cheesemakers were clicking on all cylinders, as the offense pounded out 11 hits and the defense allowed just two base runners in a 12-0 win over Toledo Christian on Wednesday, March 27. The game — Monroe’s season opener after early-season cancellations — was one of three contests scheduled at the Cal Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

“The weather is beautiful,” Monroe head coach Joe O’Leksy said, noting that the team left Wisconsin when there was still snow on the ground. “Obviously our competition wasn’t extremely good, but it was good enough to learn a lot of things. We barreled up the ball a number of times.”

Monroe’s offense, which hit at a team .328 clip last season, picked up right where it left off in 2023. Despite Toldeo’s starting pitcher throwing just 40-45 mph, the Cheesemakers adjusted at the plate to score in each of the five innings.

“You had to wait,” Roidt said. “You also learned how the ump was going to call it. Sometimes I’d choose to swing at those or just take a strike.”

In the top of the first, Monroe scored on a pair of doubles from Sophie Golembiewski and Olivia Feller. 

With two outs in the top of the second, Kaegann Paulson doubled to center, scoring Alexis Herbst from first. Monroe scored its fourth run on an error, as Toledo’s center fielder dropped a fly ball, allowing Paulson to score from second. 

Brinley Roidt led off the third inning with an inside the park home run to right for a 5-0 lead. Feller kept her foot on the gas with a double to left. She advanced to third on a dropped third strike in Chesney Slotten’s at bat, as the catcher threw Slotten out at first. 

Despite the out, Slotten set up an RBI for Emma Tran, who brought Feller home with a sacrifice fly to left. 

Paulson drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the fourth and stole second. She scored on an RBI double from Sathoff. Roidt then hit her second inside the park home run of the game — this time out to center field, which measured 254 feet.

With two outs, Slotten drew a four-pitch walk and Kate Kundert reached on an error. Tran made Toldeo pay, lining an RBI single to center. 

With a 10-0 lead going into the top of the fifth, O’Leksy allowed others to get at bats. Maddie Ruegsegger fouled off two pitches with a full count before drawing a lead-off walk. After a groundout and dropped third strike, Roidt kept the inning alive with another walk. Chyler Blackburn then lined an RBI single to center. Monroe’s final run crossed the plate on an error.

As a team, MHS tallied 11 hits, seven of which were for extra bases. Sathoff, Roidt and Feller had two hits each. The Cheesemakers also created havoc on the base paths, stealing six bases.

The team’s only blemishes came in the first two innings. Offensively, Tran lined a bullet right at the third baseman, who picked off pinch runner Kaya Holverson for a double play. Paulson also hit the first batter of the game before settling in for two groundouts and a strikeout.

“I came in with a lot of excitement, but I was also really nervous,” Paulson said. “I just enjoyed getting back into it.”

Paulson struck out the side in the second and third. Golembiewski pitched the remaining two innings, inducing two pop ups, two groundouts and recording a strikeout. The duo combined for a no hitter and allowed just two base runners all game — the lead off hit by pitch and an error in the fifth.

Monroe also scrimmaged Hortonville, a Division 1 team in the Fox Valley, winning 5-3.