BRODHEAD - The Cheesemakers brought the lumber in a weekend doubleheader sweep over Brodhead-Juda. Monroe won the opening game 15-4 in five innings, then downed the Cardinals 14-1.
Lefty Drew Nafzger allowed four earned runs in four innings for Monroe, allowing five hits and five walks with four strikeouts in the first game. Dylan Cleaveland pitched a perfect fifth. Carson Scheidegger allowed 15 runs on 13 hits and five walks for Brodhead-Juda.
"Drew battled. He as a little wild. Four of his five walks scored," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said.
Five Monroe batters had more than two hits in the first game. Mitch Marty led the attack by going 4 for 4 with three runs, a double, triple and a run batted in. Kramer Henning was 2 for 4 with a double, home run, five RBIs and two runs scored; Mitch Riese was 2 for 2 with two runs, an RBI and a double; Nafzger went 2 for 4 with two runs and Kevin Klopfenstein finished 2 for 4 with a run and four RBIs. Austin Burandt also scored two runs and walked four times.
"We hit the ball really well," Huffman said.
Monroe scored three runs in the second and four in the third to take a 7-0 lead. The Cardinals brought it back to 7-2 in the fourth, but the Cheesemakers plated eight runners in the top of the fifth to end the game early.
In the second game, Monroe opened with an 8-run first inning. The outburst contained two walks and six hits. The Cheesemakers scored two more runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
Dylan Schwitz was 2 for 4 with two walks and three runs; Henning finished 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs and Kyle Cessna went 2 for 2 with three runs, a double and two RBIs.
"Cessna doesn't see the field very often, but he hit the ball well. It was very promising to see that, and it gives us options down the road," Huffman said.
Jared Weber was perfect on the mound through three innings for the Cheesemakers, but allowed the lone Cardinal run in the fourth. Weber, who had just one inning on the hill so far this season, struck out seven, allowed four hits and walked two in five innings.
"It was nice to see him pitch that well. This gives us options for later in the season if we need to use him for an inning or two in relief," Huffman said.
Monroe has just over a week before playoffs - with two conference games today and Tuesday. The regional seeding meeting is Wednesday in Monroe, and Huffman hopes his squad can pull out a second seed. Clinton (16-3) and Beloit Turner (11-8) and Edgerton (11-7) could all make a play for home games. The Cheesemakers beat Turner 12-1 on May 6 in Beloit, and Clinton and Turner have split a season series. Monroe also plays a schedule with nearly its entire conference either in Division 1 or with a recent state appearance.
In other area action, New Glarus split a doubleheader with Cambridge. The Knights lost 9-5 and won the other 4-3.
Lefty Drew Nafzger allowed four earned runs in four innings for Monroe, allowing five hits and five walks with four strikeouts in the first game. Dylan Cleaveland pitched a perfect fifth. Carson Scheidegger allowed 15 runs on 13 hits and five walks for Brodhead-Juda.
"Drew battled. He as a little wild. Four of his five walks scored," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said.
Five Monroe batters had more than two hits in the first game. Mitch Marty led the attack by going 4 for 4 with three runs, a double, triple and a run batted in. Kramer Henning was 2 for 4 with a double, home run, five RBIs and two runs scored; Mitch Riese was 2 for 2 with two runs, an RBI and a double; Nafzger went 2 for 4 with two runs and Kevin Klopfenstein finished 2 for 4 with a run and four RBIs. Austin Burandt also scored two runs and walked four times.
"We hit the ball really well," Huffman said.
Monroe scored three runs in the second and four in the third to take a 7-0 lead. The Cardinals brought it back to 7-2 in the fourth, but the Cheesemakers plated eight runners in the top of the fifth to end the game early.
In the second game, Monroe opened with an 8-run first inning. The outburst contained two walks and six hits. The Cheesemakers scored two more runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
Dylan Schwitz was 2 for 4 with two walks and three runs; Henning finished 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs and Kyle Cessna went 2 for 2 with three runs, a double and two RBIs.
"Cessna doesn't see the field very often, but he hit the ball well. It was very promising to see that, and it gives us options down the road," Huffman said.
Jared Weber was perfect on the mound through three innings for the Cheesemakers, but allowed the lone Cardinal run in the fourth. Weber, who had just one inning on the hill so far this season, struck out seven, allowed four hits and walked two in five innings.
"It was nice to see him pitch that well. This gives us options for later in the season if we need to use him for an inning or two in relief," Huffman said.
Monroe has just over a week before playoffs - with two conference games today and Tuesday. The regional seeding meeting is Wednesday in Monroe, and Huffman hopes his squad can pull out a second seed. Clinton (16-3) and Beloit Turner (11-8) and Edgerton (11-7) could all make a play for home games. The Cheesemakers beat Turner 12-1 on May 6 in Beloit, and Clinton and Turner have split a season series. Monroe also plays a schedule with nearly its entire conference either in Division 1 or with a recent state appearance.
In other area action, New Glarus split a doubleheader with Cambridge. The Knights lost 9-5 and won the other 4-3.
