MONROE - When Monroe sophomore Olivia Bobak is throwing hard and in a zone with all four of her pitches she can be a nightmare for opposing hitters.
That was the case Friday as Bobak tossed a one-hit shutout to help the Monroe softball team knock off Madison Edgewood 10-0 in six innings at Twining Park.
Monroe improves to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Badger South.
Bobak was coming off a five-inning no-hitter she pitched Thursday in a 10-0 win over Baraboo. She hasn't allowed an earned run in the 21 innings she has pitched this season.
Bobak (4-0) struck out 11 and allowed just four runners Friday. The Crusaders never had a runner reach second base and were consistently fooled and behind Bobak's pitches at the plate.
"It feels really amazing," Bobak said. "Playing with a bunch of girls who are really talented really helps."
Bobak's pitching repertoire includes a blazing fastball, a rise ball, curveball and changeup. She said she never wants to rely on just one pitch on the mound.
"I try to throw them all to switch it up," she said. "If one pitch is not working then I will use the ones that are working. I still feel like there is room for improvement, but I pitched pretty good today."
It was far from a one-woman show for the Cheesemakers. Monroe pounded out 14 hits and jumped on the Crusaders with a four-run second inning. Senior Carly Upmann walked and senior Megan Baumgartner singled. Freshman Grace Tostrud delivered a two-run single to right field to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead. Junior Meredith Hose, who went 3-for-3, followed with an RBI single. Junior Alysha Witt, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, then tacked on an RBI single to right to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 4-0.
"I just think we are seeing the ball very well," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "Our pitch selection is better. We are not swinging at pitches out of the zone. Everyone is going up there to get a hit. That is a great feeling to have."
Tostrud went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Junior Madison Katzenberger was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored. Baumgartner also went 2-for-3. Hose came through with an RBI single to left in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers a 5-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers secured the victory with a five-run sixth. Katzenberger smashed a double to center. Senior Jessie Bennett singled to left. Tostrud followed by lining an RBI single to center. Hose then singled to left to load the bases. The big blow in the fifth came on Witt's three-run triple that ended the game due to the 10-run rule.
"We are on a big streak right now," Witt said. "I think we have just been able to string some hits together so we can score more runs in games. It keeps getting better and better every game."
Hose and Witt, the Cheesemakers' top two hitters in the lineup, set the table perfectly by going a combined 5-for-7 with one walk and five RBI. Both Hose and Witt will be looked to use their speed to help manufacture runs in tight games this season.
"Hose and Witt are our base stealers," O'Leksy said. "Why steal a base when we can hit a double? We practice the short game (bunting and stealing), but we haven't had to use it yet."
While Monroe's offense has been clicking on all cylinders the past three games, O'Leksy likes the way Bobak is developing into an ace and elite pitcher.
"Olivia has been very good," he said. "Her movement on her pitches was very good. Her curveball and rise ball were very good. We are mixing up the pitches really well. We are not throwing the same pitch twice. She is spotting her fastball really well on the corners."
That was the case Friday as Bobak tossed a one-hit shutout to help the Monroe softball team knock off Madison Edgewood 10-0 in six innings at Twining Park.
Monroe improves to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Badger South.
Bobak was coming off a five-inning no-hitter she pitched Thursday in a 10-0 win over Baraboo. She hasn't allowed an earned run in the 21 innings she has pitched this season.
Bobak (4-0) struck out 11 and allowed just four runners Friday. The Crusaders never had a runner reach second base and were consistently fooled and behind Bobak's pitches at the plate.
"It feels really amazing," Bobak said. "Playing with a bunch of girls who are really talented really helps."
Bobak's pitching repertoire includes a blazing fastball, a rise ball, curveball and changeup. She said she never wants to rely on just one pitch on the mound.
"I try to throw them all to switch it up," she said. "If one pitch is not working then I will use the ones that are working. I still feel like there is room for improvement, but I pitched pretty good today."
It was far from a one-woman show for the Cheesemakers. Monroe pounded out 14 hits and jumped on the Crusaders with a four-run second inning. Senior Carly Upmann walked and senior Megan Baumgartner singled. Freshman Grace Tostrud delivered a two-run single to right field to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead. Junior Meredith Hose, who went 3-for-3, followed with an RBI single. Junior Alysha Witt, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, then tacked on an RBI single to right to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 4-0.
"I just think we are seeing the ball very well," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "Our pitch selection is better. We are not swinging at pitches out of the zone. Everyone is going up there to get a hit. That is a great feeling to have."
Tostrud went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Junior Madison Katzenberger was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored. Baumgartner also went 2-for-3. Hose came through with an RBI single to left in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers a 5-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers secured the victory with a five-run sixth. Katzenberger smashed a double to center. Senior Jessie Bennett singled to left. Tostrud followed by lining an RBI single to center. Hose then singled to left to load the bases. The big blow in the fifth came on Witt's three-run triple that ended the game due to the 10-run rule.
"We are on a big streak right now," Witt said. "I think we have just been able to string some hits together so we can score more runs in games. It keeps getting better and better every game."
Hose and Witt, the Cheesemakers' top two hitters in the lineup, set the table perfectly by going a combined 5-for-7 with one walk and five RBI. Both Hose and Witt will be looked to use their speed to help manufacture runs in tight games this season.
"Hose and Witt are our base stealers," O'Leksy said. "Why steal a base when we can hit a double? We practice the short game (bunting and stealing), but we haven't had to use it yet."
While Monroe's offense has been clicking on all cylinders the past three games, O'Leksy likes the way Bobak is developing into an ace and elite pitcher.
"Olivia has been very good," he said. "Her movement on her pitches was very good. Her curveball and rise ball were very good. We are mixing up the pitches really well. We are not throwing the same pitch twice. She is spotting her fastball really well on the corners."
