MONROE - Through five innings, Monroe sophomore pitcher Olivia Bobak had a no-hitter going and the Cheesemakers owned a two-run lead against the Oregon softball team Tuesday.
However the Panthers rallied with a three-run sixth and went on to stun the Cheesemakers with a comeback 5-2 win at Twining Park.
Monroe drops to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Badger South.
"We just lost a little bit of focus on defense and pitching," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "We gave them an opportunity, and they took advantage of it."
Oregon's Meghan Detra had a bunt single leading off the sixth to break up Bobak's no-hit bid. Bobak hit two batters to load the bases with one out. Oregon's Jayme Zander then delivered a game-tying two-run single to center field. Hannah Christensen then grounded out to first, but Marissa Kleckler scored the go-ahead run to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
"We just need to be more intense all of the game," Monroe senior Carly Upmann said. "We were kind of flat early. We just need to be sharper on everything."
The Panthers (1-2, 1-0 Badger South) sealed the victory with two runs in the seventh. Oregon's Brooke McCallum doubled to left, and Detra knocked her in with an RBI triple to right to extend the Panthers' lead to 4-2. Kyrsten George then reached on an error that allowed Detra to score to give the Panthers all the insurance they would need.
"This was a huge win," said Oregon coach Sydnee Wyss, who is a 2007 Monroe High School graduate and was an all-state shortstop. "They (Monroe) are always a tough team and well-coached. I know because I played here. I know how tough of a team they are. Joe (O'Leksy) is a good coach. They have built the program up to be a top contender every year."
Early on, it was a pitchers' duel. The Cheesemakers had a scoring opportunity in the first but came away without scoring a run after a player was thrown out at second base.
"It was unclear from the umpire if it was a fair ball or not, and we had a girl thrown out at second," O'Leksy said. "That kind of set the tone."
Both Bobak and Christensen were in control in the circle early on. After one walk in the first, Bobak retired 10 straight batters until a walk in the fourth.
The Cheesemakers broke through by hitting three straight triples in a two-run fourth. Senior Lexi Hilliard smashed a triple to right. Upmann followed by lining an RBI triple to center, and then sophomore Hailey Betthauser delivered an RBI triple to right to stake the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead.
"I have been struggling a lot recently," Upmann said of her hitting. "Getting that hit felt really good. Getting those hits is what we needed throughout the game. It can't just be one inning."
O'Leksy noticed a difference in the approach of the Cheesemakers' hitters in the fourth.
"In those three at-bats, we took the pitch where it was being pitched, and we were able to hit it and drive it to right field," he said. "It was good to string some hits together. I think our pitch selection has to improve. It's a learning lesson. It's early in the season."
The Cheesemakers had a golden scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth after junior Madison Katzenberger beat out a bunt single and Hilliard walked with no outs. Betthauser then hit a comebacker to Christensen on the mound. When Christensen threw to first for an out, Katzenberger broke for home. Zander, at catcher, blocked the plate, took the throw and tagged out Katzenberger for an inning-ending double play. The play prevented the Cheesemakers from cutting it to a one-run deficit.
"It was an opportunity to score," O'Leksy said. "They made a great play. They just made a better play than we were able to make."
Monroe will play at Stoughton, last season's Badger South champion, on Thursday.
"We will have to use Stoughton as our bounce-back game," O'Leksy said. "We have to come back and start improving against the slower pitching. We haven't done that as much as I thought we would."
However the Panthers rallied with a three-run sixth and went on to stun the Cheesemakers with a comeback 5-2 win at Twining Park.
Monroe drops to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Badger South.
"We just lost a little bit of focus on defense and pitching," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "We gave them an opportunity, and they took advantage of it."
Oregon's Meghan Detra had a bunt single leading off the sixth to break up Bobak's no-hit bid. Bobak hit two batters to load the bases with one out. Oregon's Jayme Zander then delivered a game-tying two-run single to center field. Hannah Christensen then grounded out to first, but Marissa Kleckler scored the go-ahead run to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
"We just need to be more intense all of the game," Monroe senior Carly Upmann said. "We were kind of flat early. We just need to be sharper on everything."
The Panthers (1-2, 1-0 Badger South) sealed the victory with two runs in the seventh. Oregon's Brooke McCallum doubled to left, and Detra knocked her in with an RBI triple to right to extend the Panthers' lead to 4-2. Kyrsten George then reached on an error that allowed Detra to score to give the Panthers all the insurance they would need.
"This was a huge win," said Oregon coach Sydnee Wyss, who is a 2007 Monroe High School graduate and was an all-state shortstop. "They (Monroe) are always a tough team and well-coached. I know because I played here. I know how tough of a team they are. Joe (O'Leksy) is a good coach. They have built the program up to be a top contender every year."
Early on, it was a pitchers' duel. The Cheesemakers had a scoring opportunity in the first but came away without scoring a run after a player was thrown out at second base.
"It was unclear from the umpire if it was a fair ball or not, and we had a girl thrown out at second," O'Leksy said. "That kind of set the tone."
Both Bobak and Christensen were in control in the circle early on. After one walk in the first, Bobak retired 10 straight batters until a walk in the fourth.
The Cheesemakers broke through by hitting three straight triples in a two-run fourth. Senior Lexi Hilliard smashed a triple to right. Upmann followed by lining an RBI triple to center, and then sophomore Hailey Betthauser delivered an RBI triple to right to stake the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead.
"I have been struggling a lot recently," Upmann said of her hitting. "Getting that hit felt really good. Getting those hits is what we needed throughout the game. It can't just be one inning."
O'Leksy noticed a difference in the approach of the Cheesemakers' hitters in the fourth.
"In those three at-bats, we took the pitch where it was being pitched, and we were able to hit it and drive it to right field," he said. "It was good to string some hits together. I think our pitch selection has to improve. It's a learning lesson. It's early in the season."
The Cheesemakers had a golden scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth after junior Madison Katzenberger beat out a bunt single and Hilliard walked with no outs. Betthauser then hit a comebacker to Christensen on the mound. When Christensen threw to first for an out, Katzenberger broke for home. Zander, at catcher, blocked the plate, took the throw and tagged out Katzenberger for an inning-ending double play. The play prevented the Cheesemakers from cutting it to a one-run deficit.
"It was an opportunity to score," O'Leksy said. "They made a great play. They just made a better play than we were able to make."
Monroe will play at Stoughton, last season's Badger South champion, on Thursday.
"We will have to use Stoughton as our bounce-back game," O'Leksy said. "We have to come back and start improving against the slower pitching. We haven't done that as much as I thought we would."
