OREGON - Good things came to those that waited Friday evening.
Monroe's softball team clinched its first outright Badger South title since 1996 with a 6-2 victory over Oregon (3-8 Badger South).
Much to its coach's dismay, the club wasn't in a terrible hurry to put things away either.
The Panthers pulled with one at 3-2 with a run during the sixth inning before the third trip through the lineup proved a charm for the Cheese (16-2, 10-1 Badger South).
With one out, junior shortstop Emily Rufenacht singled through the middle before starter Renee Schuttler sat back on a changeup and drilled it between short and third base.
Senior catcher Kylie Kaiser then drove in the first of three runs in the top half of the seventh by slugging a shot into left center that plated Rufenacht and moved runners to second and third as Oregon threw home.
"It's a little scary when you wait for the third time through the lineup and doing that could nip us in the butt," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said.
Gwen Sutter lined a sacrifice fly to center field before Brandi Trewartha drove in the last insurance run with her third hit of the night.
The sophomore, who started in right field before moving to left in the fifth when Carlie Olsen relieved Schuttler, is second on the team in extra-base hits and drove in three runs out of the No. 7 spot.
"She's been a great find and it's to the point that she knows the little kid stuff is over and if we're going places we'll need her to contribute," Buvid said.
Schuttler and Olsen weren't as lights-out as they'd been in throwing consecutive no-hitters Monday and Tuesday, but Schuttler retired the first nine she faced got the win and Olsen fanned seven in three innings.
Claiming an outright title also meant sending Verona to the Big Eight without winning the conference for the first time in 11 years.
Monroe's softball team clinched its first outright Badger South title since 1996 with a 6-2 victory over Oregon (3-8 Badger South).
Much to its coach's dismay, the club wasn't in a terrible hurry to put things away either.
The Panthers pulled with one at 3-2 with a run during the sixth inning before the third trip through the lineup proved a charm for the Cheese (16-2, 10-1 Badger South).
With one out, junior shortstop Emily Rufenacht singled through the middle before starter Renee Schuttler sat back on a changeup and drilled it between short and third base.
Senior catcher Kylie Kaiser then drove in the first of three runs in the top half of the seventh by slugging a shot into left center that plated Rufenacht and moved runners to second and third as Oregon threw home.
"It's a little scary when you wait for the third time through the lineup and doing that could nip us in the butt," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said.
Gwen Sutter lined a sacrifice fly to center field before Brandi Trewartha drove in the last insurance run with her third hit of the night.
The sophomore, who started in right field before moving to left in the fifth when Carlie Olsen relieved Schuttler, is second on the team in extra-base hits and drove in three runs out of the No. 7 spot.
"She's been a great find and it's to the point that she knows the little kid stuff is over and if we're going places we'll need her to contribute," Buvid said.
Schuttler and Olsen weren't as lights-out as they'd been in throwing consecutive no-hitters Monday and Tuesday, but Schuttler retired the first nine she faced got the win and Olsen fanned seven in three innings.
Claiming an outright title also meant sending Verona to the Big Eight without winning the conference for the first time in 11 years.
