WATERTOWN - The Monroe softball team went 2-1 over the weekend at the Watertown Invitational Tournament. The Cheesemakers (4-1) lost their first game to Madison La Follette 6-4, but rallied to beat Watertown (4-3) and Waunakee (5-3).
"It was nice to get two of three wins against Division 1 teams," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "There is definitely improvement we need to do in order to make a push at conference and a deep run in the tournament."
La Follette 6, Monroe 4
Sophomore Becca Armstrong went four innings on the mound, allowing four hits, three walks and six runs (two earned). Armstrong struck out four while being tagged with the loss.
Senior Kristin McArdle pitched the final three innings for Monroe, allowing just four hits while striking out four.
La Follette scored one run in the first and five in the third. Monroe chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings.
Tasha Frie had a double and both Sarah Alexander and Kasey Gutzmer had RBI singles for Monroe.
Monroe 4, Watertown 3
Freshman Ellie Grossen hit the game-winning, walk-off RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh for the Cheesemakers.
Grossen, who was 2 for 4 in the game, roped a low fastball to the right center fence, plating Gutzmer. Gutzmer had reached on an error earlier in the inning.
Monroe also had clutch hits from Chandra McGuire and Sarah Alexander, who gave Monroe a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI triple of her own.
In the top of the seventh, Watertown had an RBI triple to tie the game back at 3-3.
Armstrong got the win on the hill, going the distance and allowing three hits and nine walks.
Monroe 5,
Waunakee 3
McGuire and Alexander each went 2 for 3 for the Cheesemakers, who had Armstrong and McArdle split time on the mound again.
Armstrong took the win on the hill, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks in four innings. McArdle allowed two runs on three hits in three innings.
"It was nice to get two of three wins against Division 1 teams," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "There is definitely improvement we need to do in order to make a push at conference and a deep run in the tournament."
La Follette 6, Monroe 4
Sophomore Becca Armstrong went four innings on the mound, allowing four hits, three walks and six runs (two earned). Armstrong struck out four while being tagged with the loss.
Senior Kristin McArdle pitched the final three innings for Monroe, allowing just four hits while striking out four.
La Follette scored one run in the first and five in the third. Monroe chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings.
Tasha Frie had a double and both Sarah Alexander and Kasey Gutzmer had RBI singles for Monroe.
Monroe 4, Watertown 3
Freshman Ellie Grossen hit the game-winning, walk-off RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh for the Cheesemakers.
Grossen, who was 2 for 4 in the game, roped a low fastball to the right center fence, plating Gutzmer. Gutzmer had reached on an error earlier in the inning.
Monroe also had clutch hits from Chandra McGuire and Sarah Alexander, who gave Monroe a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI triple of her own.
In the top of the seventh, Watertown had an RBI triple to tie the game back at 3-3.
Armstrong got the win on the hill, going the distance and allowing three hits and nine walks.
Monroe 5,
Waunakee 3
McGuire and Alexander each went 2 for 3 for the Cheesemakers, who had Armstrong and McArdle split time on the mound again.
Armstrong took the win on the hill, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks in four innings. McArdle allowed two runs on three hits in three innings.
