MONROE - Even though it's not as warm or sunny as the spring trip to Florida, the Monroe softball team's offense showed no signs of slowing down, slugging to a 6-1 win over Stoughton Tuesday in the Badger South Conference opener at Twining Park.
Monroe (6-0, 1-0 Badger South) had seven hits - four of which were triples. The top two hitters in the Cheesemakers' lineup - seniors Meredith Hose and Hailey Betthauser - combined to go 4-for-6 with four runs scored. Betthauser went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Hose went 2-for-3 with two triples and two runs scored.
"I felt like we came out strong," Betthauser said. "We came out in the first conference game and did really good. I think with the nicer the weather gets we can score even more runs."
Monroe junior Olivia Bobak pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up one earned run on five hits, while striking out nine and walking three.
It's a big week for the Cheesemakers with three conference games in five days. Monroe hosts Monona Grove Thursday and then Milton in a makeup game at noon Saturday.
"It's nice to have a conference win under our belt," Bobak said. "I'm glad we got this one in. We were a little nervous we may not get it in."
Betthauser lined a triple to right in the first inning off Stoughton pitcher Kailey Hammersly. She scored when freshman Alyse Maurer reached on an error when the Vikings dropped a fly ball in right. Moments later, freshman Sydney Updike delivered a two-out, RBI single to score Maurer to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
Monroe added to its lead in the third after Hose rocketed a triple to right center. Betthauser drove her in on a groundout to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-0. Updike again came through with a two-out RBI triple to right to give the Cheesemakers a 4-0 lead.
Hose set the table again in the fifth with a lead off triple to center. Betthauser lined an RBI single to center to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 5-0. Betthauser later scored in the inning on a wild throw to third base. The Vikings were plagued by three errors.
Hammersly pitched a complete game and gave up six runs on seven hits. She struck out one and none.
Updike went 2-for-3 and had two RBIs for the Cheesemakers. Fellow freshman Katie Hayes had the other hit.
"We have worked more on our power this year," O'Leksy said of the Cheesemakers' hitting. "We have good contact hitters, but we wanted to have more power this year. If we are only going to get seven hits, I'm happy four of them were for extra bases."
Bobak cruised on the mound keeping the Vikings at bay most of the game. The Vikings had a golden scoring opportunity in the fifth after Bobak walked Megan Marggi and Maddie Brickson singled. The Vikings had two on and just one out, but Bobak pitched out of the jam. She struck out Lela Brashi and got Hammersly to fly out to center to end the threat.
"She (Bobak) was able to command all of her pitches. It was cold, but as the game went on she got better. Her rise ball was really biting."
Bobak was excited to get the first conference win out of the way.
"I'm just glad I kept it down to a minimum number of pitches to save my arm," Bobak said. "I think I pitched pretty well considering the cold weather."
The Cheesemakers had two errors and a misjudged fly ball hit by Brickson that turned into an RBI double in the seventh. Brickson finished 2-for-4 with one RBI.
"We played solid today," O'Leksy said before adding that "we can still make more plays."
Monroe (6-0, 1-0 Badger South) had seven hits - four of which were triples. The top two hitters in the Cheesemakers' lineup - seniors Meredith Hose and Hailey Betthauser - combined to go 4-for-6 with four runs scored. Betthauser went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Hose went 2-for-3 with two triples and two runs scored.
"I felt like we came out strong," Betthauser said. "We came out in the first conference game and did really good. I think with the nicer the weather gets we can score even more runs."
Monroe junior Olivia Bobak pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up one earned run on five hits, while striking out nine and walking three.
It's a big week for the Cheesemakers with three conference games in five days. Monroe hosts Monona Grove Thursday and then Milton in a makeup game at noon Saturday.
"It's nice to have a conference win under our belt," Bobak said. "I'm glad we got this one in. We were a little nervous we may not get it in."
Betthauser lined a triple to right in the first inning off Stoughton pitcher Kailey Hammersly. She scored when freshman Alyse Maurer reached on an error when the Vikings dropped a fly ball in right. Moments later, freshman Sydney Updike delivered a two-out, RBI single to score Maurer to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
Monroe added to its lead in the third after Hose rocketed a triple to right center. Betthauser drove her in on a groundout to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-0. Updike again came through with a two-out RBI triple to right to give the Cheesemakers a 4-0 lead.
Hose set the table again in the fifth with a lead off triple to center. Betthauser lined an RBI single to center to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 5-0. Betthauser later scored in the inning on a wild throw to third base. The Vikings were plagued by three errors.
Hammersly pitched a complete game and gave up six runs on seven hits. She struck out one and none.
Updike went 2-for-3 and had two RBIs for the Cheesemakers. Fellow freshman Katie Hayes had the other hit.
"We have worked more on our power this year," O'Leksy said of the Cheesemakers' hitting. "We have good contact hitters, but we wanted to have more power this year. If we are only going to get seven hits, I'm happy four of them were for extra bases."
Bobak cruised on the mound keeping the Vikings at bay most of the game. The Vikings had a golden scoring opportunity in the fifth after Bobak walked Megan Marggi and Maddie Brickson singled. The Vikings had two on and just one out, but Bobak pitched out of the jam. She struck out Lela Brashi and got Hammersly to fly out to center to end the threat.
"She (Bobak) was able to command all of her pitches. It was cold, but as the game went on she got better. Her rise ball was really biting."
Bobak was excited to get the first conference win out of the way.
"I'm just glad I kept it down to a minimum number of pitches to save my arm," Bobak said. "I think I pitched pretty well considering the cold weather."
The Cheesemakers had two errors and a misjudged fly ball hit by Brickson that turned into an RBI double in the seventh. Brickson finished 2-for-4 with one RBI.
"We played solid today," O'Leksy said before adding that "we can still make more plays."
