MONROE - Senior pitcher Natalie Dillon and the Monroe High School softball team came within one out of knocking off Badger South Conference leader Stoughton on Monday.
Stoughton's Samantha Tepp blooped a game-tying RBI single just in front of Monroe junior centerfielder Lexi Hilliard to tie the game at 3 in the seventh inning.
The Vikings scored three runs in the ninth inning to beat Monroe 6-3 at Twining Park.
With the win, Stoughton (12-8, 11-1 Badger South) clinched the conference title outright and ended Monroe's bid for a four-peat.
Dillon walked Madison Brickson to lead off the ninth. Stoughton's Morgan Neuenfeld reached on an error. Stoughton's Madisyn Robinson lined a go-ahead RBI single to left to give the Vikings a 4-3 lead. Tepp then knocked in a run beating out an infield single. Stoughton's Liz Auby, who went 3-for-5, lined an RBI single to right to give the Vikings a 6-3 lead.
"If we play a clean game we can beat them," Dillon said of the Vikings. "There were so many errors in the game. We could have made it closer."
Monroe (15-7, 7-4 Badger South) was plagued by six errors.
Dillon pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out four, walked three and hit one.
"Natalie pitched well enough to get the win," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We didn't play well enough defensively. The extra outs are big. We are a good team. We just can't find a way to be great. From a coaching standpoint it's getting old. We fought back in the ninth. We have to find a way to close out games."
The Cheesemakers loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Stoughton ace pitcher Holly Brickson worked out of the jam by getting junior Carly Upmann to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Monroe went 1-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. The Cheesemakers had nine hits off Brickson and scored three unearned runs off her. It was an improvement compared to the shutout she pitched in the first meeting, a 3-0 victory April 14.
Monroe senior Brooke Adams went 3-for-5, and senior Kylea Ambrose was 2-for-4 on Monday.
"I think we did really well," Adams said of the Cheesemakers' hitting. "It definitely was an improvement from last time. We have been working really hard in practice and it's starting to show throughout the whole lineup."
Dillon agreed with Adams' assessment against one of the top pitchers in the conference.
"We saw Brickson, and she is a really good pitcher," said Dillon, who went 1-for-3 with two walks and three stolen bases. "It was good to see a lot more offense this time."
It's the second straight loss for the Cheesemakers after they held a lead late in the game.
"I think it's stamina," Dillon said. "We have been doing well in the early innings. Late in the game then they got some hits and started scoring runs we were not talking as much. It's key to stay positive and not get down on ourselves. We have to keep a positive vibe and know we can do it."
Early on, the Cheesemakers had a lot of positive feelings.
Ambrose singled just over the Vikings' second baseman leading off the second inning. Sophomore Alysha Witt moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Senior teammate Cassidy Pivonka grounded out to third, but Ambrose scored when a throw from first base back to third got away.
Dillon ran the Cheesemakers into a second run. She singled in the third and stole second. When the ball trickled into center she raced to third and later scored on a passed ball to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
The Vikings rallied with two unearned runs in the fourth. Dillon walked Tepp. Stoughton's Kayley Novotny singled to right, and the Cheesemakers had a perfect relay to catcher Hannah Vetterli at the plate. Tepp got into a run down and scored when a throw in the pickle sailed over Vetterli's head. The Vikings scored a second run on the play when a throw got away at third base to tie the game at 2.
Vetterli led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left. Ambrose followed with a single to left. Witt moved them both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Pivonka reached on an error, and Vetterli scored to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. It stayed that way until the seventh when Tepp delivered a game-tying RBI single.
Monroe will play its final conference game at Monona Grove today. The Cheesemakers will then play at Baraboo on Thursday before hosting third-ranked Waupun in a doubleheader on Friday at Twining Park.
"Playing good teams certainly won't hurt come tournament time," Buvid said. "We might as well play them now."
Stoughton's Samantha Tepp blooped a game-tying RBI single just in front of Monroe junior centerfielder Lexi Hilliard to tie the game at 3 in the seventh inning.
The Vikings scored three runs in the ninth inning to beat Monroe 6-3 at Twining Park.
With the win, Stoughton (12-8, 11-1 Badger South) clinched the conference title outright and ended Monroe's bid for a four-peat.
Dillon walked Madison Brickson to lead off the ninth. Stoughton's Morgan Neuenfeld reached on an error. Stoughton's Madisyn Robinson lined a go-ahead RBI single to left to give the Vikings a 4-3 lead. Tepp then knocked in a run beating out an infield single. Stoughton's Liz Auby, who went 3-for-5, lined an RBI single to right to give the Vikings a 6-3 lead.
"If we play a clean game we can beat them," Dillon said of the Vikings. "There were so many errors in the game. We could have made it closer."
Monroe (15-7, 7-4 Badger South) was plagued by six errors.
Dillon pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out four, walked three and hit one.
"Natalie pitched well enough to get the win," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We didn't play well enough defensively. The extra outs are big. We are a good team. We just can't find a way to be great. From a coaching standpoint it's getting old. We fought back in the ninth. We have to find a way to close out games."
The Cheesemakers loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Stoughton ace pitcher Holly Brickson worked out of the jam by getting junior Carly Upmann to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Monroe went 1-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. The Cheesemakers had nine hits off Brickson and scored three unearned runs off her. It was an improvement compared to the shutout she pitched in the first meeting, a 3-0 victory April 14.
Monroe senior Brooke Adams went 3-for-5, and senior Kylea Ambrose was 2-for-4 on Monday.
"I think we did really well," Adams said of the Cheesemakers' hitting. "It definitely was an improvement from last time. We have been working really hard in practice and it's starting to show throughout the whole lineup."
Dillon agreed with Adams' assessment against one of the top pitchers in the conference.
"We saw Brickson, and she is a really good pitcher," said Dillon, who went 1-for-3 with two walks and three stolen bases. "It was good to see a lot more offense this time."
It's the second straight loss for the Cheesemakers after they held a lead late in the game.
"I think it's stamina," Dillon said. "We have been doing well in the early innings. Late in the game then they got some hits and started scoring runs we were not talking as much. It's key to stay positive and not get down on ourselves. We have to keep a positive vibe and know we can do it."
Early on, the Cheesemakers had a lot of positive feelings.
Ambrose singled just over the Vikings' second baseman leading off the second inning. Sophomore Alysha Witt moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Senior teammate Cassidy Pivonka grounded out to third, but Ambrose scored when a throw from first base back to third got away.
Dillon ran the Cheesemakers into a second run. She singled in the third and stole second. When the ball trickled into center she raced to third and later scored on a passed ball to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
The Vikings rallied with two unearned runs in the fourth. Dillon walked Tepp. Stoughton's Kayley Novotny singled to right, and the Cheesemakers had a perfect relay to catcher Hannah Vetterli at the plate. Tepp got into a run down and scored when a throw in the pickle sailed over Vetterli's head. The Vikings scored a second run on the play when a throw got away at third base to tie the game at 2.
Vetterli led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left. Ambrose followed with a single to left. Witt moved them both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Pivonka reached on an error, and Vetterli scored to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. It stayed that way until the seventh when Tepp delivered a game-tying RBI single.
Monroe will play its final conference game at Monona Grove today. The Cheesemakers will then play at Baraboo on Thursday before hosting third-ranked Waupun in a doubleheader on Friday at Twining Park.
"Playing good teams certainly won't hurt come tournament time," Buvid said. "We might as well play them now."
