MONROE - For most of the first five innings Monday, Black Hawk freshman Hannah Butler kept the Monroe High School softball team's bats at bay.
Locked in a tie game in the bottom of the sixth inning, Monroe rattled off four runs and upended the Warriors 7-3 in a nonconference game at Twining Park. It was the season opener for the Cheesemakers.
"I think it really is a confidence booster for us," said Monroe junior Madison Katzenberger, who went 3-for-3 with one RBI. "It shows that we have the ability to come back if we are in a slump."
Monroe sophomore Olivia Bobak led off the sixth with a single up the middle. Butler then walked Monroe's Meredith Hose. Monroe junior Alysha Witt followed with a towering go-ahead two-run double to left field to give the Cheesemakers a 5-3 lead. Senior Lexi Hilliard, who went 2-for-4, knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 6-3. Katzenberger put the finishing touches on the comeback by crushing an RBI triple to left.
The Cheesemakers were 2-for-12 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
"I think we were just tired of having people on base and not scoring," Katzenberger said. "We were tired of being tied and wanted to win. We knew what she (Butler) was going to throw and when."
Witt, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, said it was a big relief to get the big hit in the sixth.
"Just to get a hit started everyone going after that," Witt said. "I think it was pretty exciting to start off our first game of the season with a win."
For new Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy, it marked his first varsity win.
The Cheesemakers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Butler walked three batters and walked in two runs.
"I was really proud the girls were able to come through with that really big sixth inning," O'Leksy said. "I'm very proud they found a way to win."
Butler was a thorn in the Cheesemakers' side with her hitting, pitching and base running. Butler went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one stolen base.
"Hannah Butler is a really good player and pitcher," O'Leksy said. "She's got a really good rise ball, fastball and changeup. She will be a great player long term. Black Hawk will win a lot of games this season with her at pitcher."
After a rocky first, Butler settled down, pitching out of jams and getting strong plays from her defense.
"I think a lot of it is being a freshman and working with a new catcher," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said of Butler's struggles in the first. "I'm not calling the pitches this year. I'm letting them call the pitches. She (Butler) really knows the game. I just want the kids to experience the game and figure it out for themselves."
Monroe senior Carly Upmann started and pitched two innings. She gave up two earned runs on three hits. She struck out two and walked three.
Bobak pitched five innings and gave up just one unearned run to get the win. Bobak struck out six and walked two. O'Leksy liked the poise Bobak showed in her first pitching performance after spring break.
"She was hitting the corners really good with her fastball," he said. "I thought for a sophomore who has never pitched on varsity, she was very composed."
Black Hawk (1-2) battled back from a three-run deficit in the second. Butler beat out an infield single off Upmann. Black Hawk junior Cheyenne Stewart then lined a single to center. Sophomores Mia Jackson and Savanna Burmeister both knocked in runs on groundouts to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-2.
The Warriors made several stellar defensive plays to stay within a run. With runners on second and third and no outs in the third, Butler fielded two comebackers on the mound and threw to first base to record two outs. She got out of the jam by getting Hose to pop out to end the threat without giving up a run.
In the fourth, Stewart, at first base, made a catch in foul territory near the fence. Upmann, who was at third base, tagged up, and Stewart threw a perfect strike to Black Hawk senior catcher Jordyn Delzer, who tagged Upmann out at the plate to preserve a one run deficit.
"I thought overall defensively we played a very good game," Baumgartner said. "We struggled in the outfield a little bit. It's early in the season and we are starting to figure that out."
The Cheesemakers also turned in some solid defensive plays. With two outs in the third, Witt, the Cheesemakers' third baseman, threw out Black Hawk senior Sammy Lovelace rounding third. At catcher, Hose threw out a runner trying to steal in the fourth.
"I think our pitching and defense was really sound," Witt said. "I think we still have to get better at hitting with runners on base and with two outs."
Locked in a tie game in the bottom of the sixth inning, Monroe rattled off four runs and upended the Warriors 7-3 in a nonconference game at Twining Park. It was the season opener for the Cheesemakers.
"I think it really is a confidence booster for us," said Monroe junior Madison Katzenberger, who went 3-for-3 with one RBI. "It shows that we have the ability to come back if we are in a slump."
Monroe sophomore Olivia Bobak led off the sixth with a single up the middle. Butler then walked Monroe's Meredith Hose. Monroe junior Alysha Witt followed with a towering go-ahead two-run double to left field to give the Cheesemakers a 5-3 lead. Senior Lexi Hilliard, who went 2-for-4, knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 6-3. Katzenberger put the finishing touches on the comeback by crushing an RBI triple to left.
The Cheesemakers were 2-for-12 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
"I think we were just tired of having people on base and not scoring," Katzenberger said. "We were tired of being tied and wanted to win. We knew what she (Butler) was going to throw and when."
Witt, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, said it was a big relief to get the big hit in the sixth.
"Just to get a hit started everyone going after that," Witt said. "I think it was pretty exciting to start off our first game of the season with a win."
For new Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy, it marked his first varsity win.
The Cheesemakers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Butler walked three batters and walked in two runs.
"I was really proud the girls were able to come through with that really big sixth inning," O'Leksy said. "I'm very proud they found a way to win."
Butler was a thorn in the Cheesemakers' side with her hitting, pitching and base running. Butler went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one stolen base.
"Hannah Butler is a really good player and pitcher," O'Leksy said. "She's got a really good rise ball, fastball and changeup. She will be a great player long term. Black Hawk will win a lot of games this season with her at pitcher."
After a rocky first, Butler settled down, pitching out of jams and getting strong plays from her defense.
"I think a lot of it is being a freshman and working with a new catcher," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said of Butler's struggles in the first. "I'm not calling the pitches this year. I'm letting them call the pitches. She (Butler) really knows the game. I just want the kids to experience the game and figure it out for themselves."
Monroe senior Carly Upmann started and pitched two innings. She gave up two earned runs on three hits. She struck out two and walked three.
Bobak pitched five innings and gave up just one unearned run to get the win. Bobak struck out six and walked two. O'Leksy liked the poise Bobak showed in her first pitching performance after spring break.
"She was hitting the corners really good with her fastball," he said. "I thought for a sophomore who has never pitched on varsity, she was very composed."
Black Hawk (1-2) battled back from a three-run deficit in the second. Butler beat out an infield single off Upmann. Black Hawk junior Cheyenne Stewart then lined a single to center. Sophomores Mia Jackson and Savanna Burmeister both knocked in runs on groundouts to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-2.
The Warriors made several stellar defensive plays to stay within a run. With runners on second and third and no outs in the third, Butler fielded two comebackers on the mound and threw to first base to record two outs. She got out of the jam by getting Hose to pop out to end the threat without giving up a run.
In the fourth, Stewart, at first base, made a catch in foul territory near the fence. Upmann, who was at third base, tagged up, and Stewart threw a perfect strike to Black Hawk senior catcher Jordyn Delzer, who tagged Upmann out at the plate to preserve a one run deficit.
"I thought overall defensively we played a very good game," Baumgartner said. "We struggled in the outfield a little bit. It's early in the season and we are starting to figure that out."
The Cheesemakers also turned in some solid defensive plays. With two outs in the third, Witt, the Cheesemakers' third baseman, threw out Black Hawk senior Sammy Lovelace rounding third. At catcher, Hose threw out a runner trying to steal in the fourth.
"I think our pitching and defense was really sound," Witt said. "I think we still have to get better at hitting with runners on base and with two outs."
