MADISON - Senior Hannah Vetterli had three hits and senior Natalie Dillon pitched a five-hitter to lead the Monroe High School softball team to a 12-2 win over Madison Edgewood on Tuesday.
Monroe (2-1, 1-0 Badger South) set the tone early on, scoring four runs in the first inning. Dillon was hit by a pitch. Senior Brooke Adams laid down a bunt, and the Crusaders threw wild to third base and Dillon scored.
"Her speed is one of the keys to our offense," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Dillon. "With the conditions you want to get ahead because it could be a five-inning game."
Junior Carly Upmann walked and Vetterli singled. Senior Kylea Ambrose delivered an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead. Senior Cassidy Pivonka then lined an RBI double. Ambrose later scored on a passed ball on a third strike to give the Cheesemakers a 4-0 lead.
Vetterli went 3-for-5 and Ambrose was 2-for-3.
Dillon pitched a complete game and gave up two earned runs on five hits. She struck out 11 and walked one.
"With the conditions and a wet ball she was pretty good," Buvid said of Dillon's pitching. "She was able to throw her changeup and get some strikeouts in some big situations."
The Cheesemakers took advantage of a struggling Crusaders' defense in a three-run fourth. Edgewood committed two of their seven errors in the fourth, coupled with two walks and a hit batter, that led to the Cheesemakers' three runs and a 7-2 lead.
Upmann sealed the win with a three-run double to right center in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers an insurmountable 10-2 lead.
Monroe will host a quadrangular tournament starting Friday when Pearl City plays Highland Park, Illinois. The Cheesemakers will play three games Saturday - vs. Spencer at noon, vs. Highland Park at 2 p.m. and vs. Pearl City at 4 p.m.
"We will see some quality competition," Buvid said. "We are ready to play some games and see more live pitching. Hopefully, we can keep taking steps forward."
Monroe (2-1, 1-0 Badger South) set the tone early on, scoring four runs in the first inning. Dillon was hit by a pitch. Senior Brooke Adams laid down a bunt, and the Crusaders threw wild to third base and Dillon scored.
"Her speed is one of the keys to our offense," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Dillon. "With the conditions you want to get ahead because it could be a five-inning game."
Junior Carly Upmann walked and Vetterli singled. Senior Kylea Ambrose delivered an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead. Senior Cassidy Pivonka then lined an RBI double. Ambrose later scored on a passed ball on a third strike to give the Cheesemakers a 4-0 lead.
Vetterli went 3-for-5 and Ambrose was 2-for-3.
Dillon pitched a complete game and gave up two earned runs on five hits. She struck out 11 and walked one.
"With the conditions and a wet ball she was pretty good," Buvid said of Dillon's pitching. "She was able to throw her changeup and get some strikeouts in some big situations."
The Cheesemakers took advantage of a struggling Crusaders' defense in a three-run fourth. Edgewood committed two of their seven errors in the fourth, coupled with two walks and a hit batter, that led to the Cheesemakers' three runs and a 7-2 lead.
Upmann sealed the win with a three-run double to right center in the fifth to give the Cheesemakers an insurmountable 10-2 lead.
Monroe will host a quadrangular tournament starting Friday when Pearl City plays Highland Park, Illinois. The Cheesemakers will play three games Saturday - vs. Spencer at noon, vs. Highland Park at 2 p.m. and vs. Pearl City at 4 p.m.
"We will see some quality competition," Buvid said. "We are ready to play some games and see more live pitching. Hopefully, we can keep taking steps forward."
