MONROE - Junior catcher Garrett Gogin understands style points are not assigned to how a baseball team wins.
Gogin went 1-for-2 and had two walks and two RBI to help the Cheesemakers hang on to beat Monona Grove 11-9 Tuesday. With the win, Monroe improved to 3-2, 1-1 Badger South. The last time Monroe had a winning season was four years ago. The Cheesemakers are coming off a 4-21 season and are three years removed from a 1-22 season.
The Silver Eagles stormed back from a 9-2 deficit and had a five-run sixth inning to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-9. Monroe senior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched five innings and gave up four runs to get the win. Monroe senior Logan Weckerly pitched 1 2/3 innings to get the save.
"It's what we do. We keep games interesting," Gogin said. "That's baseball. A win is a win. It's a step."
However, this year, the Cheesemakers have a senior-dominated lineup that is in a groove swinging the bat. The Cheesemakers have won three straight games and have scored 35 runs in those wins.
"Last year, we probably would have lost a game like this," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "We had players step up in big moments and make plays."
Monroe junior Jaron Kuester, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch and scored two runs, is batting eighth instead of at the top of the lineup where he has in previous seasons.
"We really have a power hitting lineup," Kuester said. "Once we score seven or eight runs, we want to score 11 because you never know. There can be games like this where we put in a good pitcher and they just hit the ball."
Early on, it looked like Monroe (3-2, 1-1 Badger South) would make short work of the Silver Eagles. The Cheesemakers batted around the order in a six-run second inning. Monroe senior Sean Saxby crushed a double to right field. Sophomore teammate Hogan Edwards reached on an error and Saxby scored. Senior Desmond Ford reached on an infield single and junior Brent Edmunds walked to load the bases. Kuester was hit by a pitch to force in a run and senior Matt Coplien came through with a RBI sacrifice fly to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. Senior Carter Adkins then bounced an RBI single to left and Gogin had a clutch two-run single up the middle to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead. Adkins had three RBI and Coplien added two RBI.
"We are looking to lay a hurt on the ball," Gogin said.
The Cheesemakers added to their lead with a three-run third. Ford, who went 2-for-3, led off with a single. Edmunds, who went 2-for-3 with a walk, beat out an infield single and Kuester bunted for a single to load the bases. Coplien then walked to force in a run and Adkins had an RBI ground out to give the Cheesemakers an 8-2 lead. Kuester later in the third scored on a wild pitch.
"We have been trying to get them to be patient and go after balls in good counts that they can do some damage with," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Some of that comes with experience. I just think they really feel more relaxed. Baseball really is a thinking game. If we can stay loose and confident at the plate we should be fine."
Neuenschwander gave up four runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
"Lucas is a kid who can get through the lineup twice," Huffman said. "The third time through the order teams lock in on his velocity," Huffman said.
The Cheesemakers were cruising along until the Silver Eagles scored five runs off junior relief pitcher Tayler Meir. Meir gave up five runs on six hits in 2/3 of an inning. The big blow was a two-run double by Jordan Gerothanas.
The Cheesemakers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Kuester singled to center and Cam Shaw moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Adkins then knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.
"He (Meir) came out and had decent velocity," Huffman said. "Sometimes a team comes out puts good swings on it and gets hot."
Gogin went 1-for-2 and had two walks and two RBI to help the Cheesemakers hang on to beat Monona Grove 11-9 Tuesday. With the win, Monroe improved to 3-2, 1-1 Badger South. The last time Monroe had a winning season was four years ago. The Cheesemakers are coming off a 4-21 season and are three years removed from a 1-22 season.
The Silver Eagles stormed back from a 9-2 deficit and had a five-run sixth inning to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-9. Monroe senior Lucas Neuenschwander pitched five innings and gave up four runs to get the win. Monroe senior Logan Weckerly pitched 1 2/3 innings to get the save.
"It's what we do. We keep games interesting," Gogin said. "That's baseball. A win is a win. It's a step."
However, this year, the Cheesemakers have a senior-dominated lineup that is in a groove swinging the bat. The Cheesemakers have won three straight games and have scored 35 runs in those wins.
"Last year, we probably would have lost a game like this," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "We had players step up in big moments and make plays."
Monroe junior Jaron Kuester, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch and scored two runs, is batting eighth instead of at the top of the lineup where he has in previous seasons.
"We really have a power hitting lineup," Kuester said. "Once we score seven or eight runs, we want to score 11 because you never know. There can be games like this where we put in a good pitcher and they just hit the ball."
Early on, it looked like Monroe (3-2, 1-1 Badger South) would make short work of the Silver Eagles. The Cheesemakers batted around the order in a six-run second inning. Monroe senior Sean Saxby crushed a double to right field. Sophomore teammate Hogan Edwards reached on an error and Saxby scored. Senior Desmond Ford reached on an infield single and junior Brent Edmunds walked to load the bases. Kuester was hit by a pitch to force in a run and senior Matt Coplien came through with a RBI sacrifice fly to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. Senior Carter Adkins then bounced an RBI single to left and Gogin had a clutch two-run single up the middle to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead. Adkins had three RBI and Coplien added two RBI.
"We are looking to lay a hurt on the ball," Gogin said.
The Cheesemakers added to their lead with a three-run third. Ford, who went 2-for-3, led off with a single. Edmunds, who went 2-for-3 with a walk, beat out an infield single and Kuester bunted for a single to load the bases. Coplien then walked to force in a run and Adkins had an RBI ground out to give the Cheesemakers an 8-2 lead. Kuester later in the third scored on a wild pitch.
"We have been trying to get them to be patient and go after balls in good counts that they can do some damage with," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Some of that comes with experience. I just think they really feel more relaxed. Baseball really is a thinking game. If we can stay loose and confident at the plate we should be fine."
Neuenschwander gave up four runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
"Lucas is a kid who can get through the lineup twice," Huffman said. "The third time through the order teams lock in on his velocity," Huffman said.
The Cheesemakers were cruising along until the Silver Eagles scored five runs off junior relief pitcher Tayler Meir. Meir gave up five runs on six hits in 2/3 of an inning. The big blow was a two-run double by Jordan Gerothanas.
The Cheesemakers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Kuester singled to center and Cam Shaw moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Adkins then knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.
"He (Meir) came out and had decent velocity," Huffman said. "Sometimes a team comes out puts good swings on it and gets hot."
