MONONA - To stay in contention for a Badger South Conference championship, Monroe High School baseball coach Dustin Huffman knew the Cheesemakers needed a win.
They got it Thursday when Monroe senior Jaron Kuester and junior Cole Murray each had three hits and junior Hogan Edwards gave up just one earned run to propel the Cheesemakers to a 10-5 win over Monona Grove.
Monroe improves to 5-5 overall and 2-3 in the Badger South, 11⁄2 games out of first place.
"If we are going to be in the conference race tonight was a must-win," Huffman said. "It was a big win and puts us back in the hunt. The next two conference games will be telling."
Monroe's next two conference games are at Madison Edgewood on Tuesday and at Milton on April 28.
The Cheesemakers broke open the game against Monona Grove with a four-run first inning. Murray singled and stole second. Senior Garrett Gogin walked. Kuester delivered an RBI double to right. Edwards reached on a fielder's choice, and Gogin scored to stake the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead. Kuester later scored on an error. Senior Brent Edmunds, who went 2-for-4, lined an RBI single to left to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 4-0.
Kuester went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Murray was 3-for-4 with one RBI. The Cheesemakers had two of their six stolen bases in the first.
"In that first inning, we put pressure on them right away," Huffman said. "It kind of set the tone, and we were off to the races."
Edwards pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up one earned run on eight hits. He struck out three and walked one.
"We were hoping he (Edwards) would go out and be efficient and throw strikes," Huffman said. "For the most part he did that. He had a couple of big strikeouts when we needed them."
Monroe will play a nonconference game at Evansville today.
"That will be a big game with postseason ramifications because Evansville is in our regional," Huffman said.
They got it Thursday when Monroe senior Jaron Kuester and junior Cole Murray each had three hits and junior Hogan Edwards gave up just one earned run to propel the Cheesemakers to a 10-5 win over Monona Grove.
Monroe improves to 5-5 overall and 2-3 in the Badger South, 11⁄2 games out of first place.
"If we are going to be in the conference race tonight was a must-win," Huffman said. "It was a big win and puts us back in the hunt. The next two conference games will be telling."
Monroe's next two conference games are at Madison Edgewood on Tuesday and at Milton on April 28.
The Cheesemakers broke open the game against Monona Grove with a four-run first inning. Murray singled and stole second. Senior Garrett Gogin walked. Kuester delivered an RBI double to right. Edwards reached on a fielder's choice, and Gogin scored to stake the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead. Kuester later scored on an error. Senior Brent Edmunds, who went 2-for-4, lined an RBI single to left to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 4-0.
Kuester went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Murray was 3-for-4 with one RBI. The Cheesemakers had two of their six stolen bases in the first.
"In that first inning, we put pressure on them right away," Huffman said. "It kind of set the tone, and we were off to the races."
Edwards pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up one earned run on eight hits. He struck out three and walked one.
"We were hoping he (Edwards) would go out and be efficient and throw strikes," Huffman said. "For the most part he did that. He had a couple of big strikeouts when we needed them."
Monroe will play a nonconference game at Evansville today.
"That will be a big game with postseason ramifications because Evansville is in our regional," Huffman said.
