MONROE - First baseman Kayla Updike wanted to carry the momentum of the WIAA Division 2 state tournament into the Monroe Summer Slugfest U16 tournament on Sunday.
The Monroe Lightning did just that, finishing the tournament 5-1 and losing in the championship game to the Beach Park Thunder, a club team of Waukegan, Ill.
"I feel like we just came in from our season going to state and that just carried over," Updike said. "It's important for us to try to get better for next season. I feel like we have been getting our hitting down."
The Monroe Lightning got off to a fast start as junior Taylor O'Leksy delivered an RBI single to score Chandra McGuire to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead. Thunder pitcher Chase Machain limited Monroe to just three hits, and she struck out 10.
"She threw a rise ball and we had a hard time laying off," Monroe Lightning coach Joe O'Leksy said. "They are a good club team. I'm happy with a second place finish. This is a good competitive tournament. There are a lot of teams and kids here who have competed at the state level. For summer ball it's about improving for the high school season and continuing to have that competitive edge to win games."
Becca Armstrong pitched seven innings and gave up all four runs in a second inning that was highlighted by a three-run double.
The Monroe Lightning scored their other run on Updike's RBI double, which scored Ellie Grossen in the third. Kari Jordan had the only other hit for the Lightning.
Monroe went 3-0 in pool play on Saturday. The Lightning defeated Express Fastpitch 9-7, the Southwest Wisconsin Storm 13-4 and New Berlin Magic Red 10-4. In the first game against Express Fastpitch, the Lightning were led by Grossen who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and McGuire who was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Armstrong tossed a complete game to get the win.
In the win over the Southwest Wisconsin Storm, Samantha Solberg went 2-for-2 and pitched two innings. Taylor O'Leksy and Jordan each went 2-for-3, and Grossen drove in three runs.
The Lightning received strong pitching against the New Berlin Magic Red. Armstrong pitched four innings and Solberg tossed two innings in relief, and they held New Berlin at bay. Taylor O'Leksy went 3-for-3 and had five RBIs.
The Lightning pounded the New Berlin Magic White 15-1 on Sunday. Kristen Udelhofen, who plays for Barneveld in the spring, turned in a stellar pitching performance in keeping the New Berlin White team in check. Jordan went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Grossen was 2-for-3. Updike was 2-for-4 with one RBI and McGuire went 1-for-1 with two RBIs.
The Lightning then played the CPC Fire, a team comprised of several players from Milledgeville High School, which finished third in the IHSA Class 1A state tournament this season. Monroe was able to hang on to a 6-4 win. The Fire were able to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Grossen made a standout defensive play to stop the ball and make an unassisted force out at second to end the game, earning the team a shot at the championship. The Fire were coming off an extra inning game in which No. 1 pitcher Morgan Adolph went the distance.
Udelhofen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Monroe's Briana Katzenberger, Armstrong and Jordan each had RBI singles in a six-run first. The Fire brought in Adolph, and she tossed five shutout innings in relief.
"I feel the key was just trying to get ahead," Udelhofen said. "We didn't want to let them get ahead. They were coming off an extra-inning game and we didn't want them to get any momentum."
The Monroe Lightning did just that, finishing the tournament 5-1 and losing in the championship game to the Beach Park Thunder, a club team of Waukegan, Ill.
"I feel like we just came in from our season going to state and that just carried over," Updike said. "It's important for us to try to get better for next season. I feel like we have been getting our hitting down."
The Monroe Lightning got off to a fast start as junior Taylor O'Leksy delivered an RBI single to score Chandra McGuire to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead. Thunder pitcher Chase Machain limited Monroe to just three hits, and she struck out 10.
"She threw a rise ball and we had a hard time laying off," Monroe Lightning coach Joe O'Leksy said. "They are a good club team. I'm happy with a second place finish. This is a good competitive tournament. There are a lot of teams and kids here who have competed at the state level. For summer ball it's about improving for the high school season and continuing to have that competitive edge to win games."
Becca Armstrong pitched seven innings and gave up all four runs in a second inning that was highlighted by a three-run double.
The Monroe Lightning scored their other run on Updike's RBI double, which scored Ellie Grossen in the third. Kari Jordan had the only other hit for the Lightning.
Monroe went 3-0 in pool play on Saturday. The Lightning defeated Express Fastpitch 9-7, the Southwest Wisconsin Storm 13-4 and New Berlin Magic Red 10-4. In the first game against Express Fastpitch, the Lightning were led by Grossen who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and McGuire who was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Armstrong tossed a complete game to get the win.
In the win over the Southwest Wisconsin Storm, Samantha Solberg went 2-for-2 and pitched two innings. Taylor O'Leksy and Jordan each went 2-for-3, and Grossen drove in three runs.
The Lightning received strong pitching against the New Berlin Magic Red. Armstrong pitched four innings and Solberg tossed two innings in relief, and they held New Berlin at bay. Taylor O'Leksy went 3-for-3 and had five RBIs.
The Lightning pounded the New Berlin Magic White 15-1 on Sunday. Kristen Udelhofen, who plays for Barneveld in the spring, turned in a stellar pitching performance in keeping the New Berlin White team in check. Jordan went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Grossen was 2-for-3. Updike was 2-for-4 with one RBI and McGuire went 1-for-1 with two RBIs.
The Lightning then played the CPC Fire, a team comprised of several players from Milledgeville High School, which finished third in the IHSA Class 1A state tournament this season. Monroe was able to hang on to a 6-4 win. The Fire were able to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Grossen made a standout defensive play to stop the ball and make an unassisted force out at second to end the game, earning the team a shot at the championship. The Fire were coming off an extra inning game in which No. 1 pitcher Morgan Adolph went the distance.
Udelhofen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Monroe's Briana Katzenberger, Armstrong and Jordan each had RBI singles in a six-run first. The Fire brought in Adolph, and she tossed five shutout innings in relief.
"I feel the key was just trying to get ahead," Udelhofen said. "We didn't want to let them get ahead. They were coming off an extra-inning game and we didn't want them to get any momentum."
