FORT ATKINSON - After six innings, it looked like the Monroe Cheesemakers were going to earn a satisfying road win. An inning later, it became a heartbreaking loss. The Fort Atkinson Blackhawks scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning to upend the Cheesemakers, 3-2 Tuesday.
Neither team could generate any offense through five innings. The Cheesemakers finally broke through when freshman Ellie Grossen led off the sixth inning with a base hit and senior Kelsey Erickson hit the next pitch well over the centerfielder's head for a two-run inside-the-park home run.
Those two runs looked like they would hold up as sophomore pitcher Becca Armstrong held the Blackhawks scoreless while working on a three-hitter.
The Blackhawks rallied in their last at-bat with a lead-off walk, followed by a strikeout. Monroe misplayed a bunt, allowing Fort Atkinson to put two baserunners on and the winning run at the plate. Fort Atkinson's Marta Kotz tied the game with a sinking liner that ended up being a triple.
With Maddy Podmolik at the plate, Monroe tried a pitch-out, but Podmolik foiled the strategy by reaching out and hit the ball to second baseman Heather Barta, whose throw to the plate was not in time to get Kotz who scored the winning run.
"Give Fort Atkinson credit," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "We gave them an opening and they took it. For six innings we played error-free ball against the defending conference champions and one of last year's state tournament teams."
Monroe (4-2, 2-1 Badger South) will host Monona Grove Thursday.
Neither team could generate any offense through five innings. The Cheesemakers finally broke through when freshman Ellie Grossen led off the sixth inning with a base hit and senior Kelsey Erickson hit the next pitch well over the centerfielder's head for a two-run inside-the-park home run.
Those two runs looked like they would hold up as sophomore pitcher Becca Armstrong held the Blackhawks scoreless while working on a three-hitter.
The Blackhawks rallied in their last at-bat with a lead-off walk, followed by a strikeout. Monroe misplayed a bunt, allowing Fort Atkinson to put two baserunners on and the winning run at the plate. Fort Atkinson's Marta Kotz tied the game with a sinking liner that ended up being a triple.
With Maddy Podmolik at the plate, Monroe tried a pitch-out, but Podmolik foiled the strategy by reaching out and hit the ball to second baseman Heather Barta, whose throw to the plate was not in time to get Kotz who scored the winning run.
"Give Fort Atkinson credit," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "We gave them an opening and they took it. For six innings we played error-free ball against the defending conference champions and one of last year's state tournament teams."
Monroe (4-2, 2-1 Badger South) will host Monona Grove Thursday.
