MONROE - With the Monroe High School softball team trailing by nine runs going into the bottom of the seventh inning in a Badger South Conference showdown with Fort Atkinson, doubt could have crept into Monroe senior catcher Hannah Vetterli's mind.
Vetterli said it felt at times like the Cheesemakers were out of the game, but then she remembered some seventh-inning magic from last year.
"I had to remember how (Fort Atkinson) came back and scored six runs in the seventh inning last year to beat us," Vetterli said. "I knew we could do it and I got my fire back."
Monroe stormed back, scoring seven runs in its final at-bat against Fort Atkinson pitcher Ashlynn Brandl and almost pulled off an improbable comeback before falling short.
The Blackhawks withstood the rally to beat the Cheesemakers in a slugfest 13-11 Tuesday at a soggy Twining Park.
It was a wild seventh. Fort Atkinson (7-1, 4-0 Badger South) scored five runs in the top of the inning. The big blow came on Morgan Dunkleberger's three-run triple to center to help the Blackhawks surge to a 13-4 lead.
Dunkleberger was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers, going 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBI. She finished just a single short of hitting for the cycle.
Monroe senior pitcher Natalie Dillon pitched a complete game. Dillon gave up five earned runs. She struck out six, walked four and hit one.
Fort Atkinson pounded out 14 hits, including five for extra bases.
The Cheesemakers (6-3, 1-2 Badger South) committed two uncharacteristic errors.
"We started off 6-1, and we have laid two eggs in a row," said Monroe coach Dale Buvid, who also was referencing Monroe's 3-1 loss to Stoughton on Thursday. "It comes down to defense. We have to make more plays defensively. We didn't do enough. We gave them some extra outs. We gave up five unearned runs in the seventh, and we could have won 9-8."
The Blackhawks' No. 3 through 5 batters went a combined 8-for-12. Fort Atkinson's Kat Brandl went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Taylor Allard went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. She was on base four of the five times she batted, also drawing a walk and being hit by a pitch.
"Natalie got ahead in the count a lot, but she wasn't able to put them away," Buvid said. "She battled and competed. They are a good hitting team, but 13 runs is too many. You have to make quality pitches against good hitters at big moments. She deserved a slightly better fate."
The Cheesemakers wouldn't go quietly in the seventh. The rally started when junior Carly Upmann drew a lead-off walk. Vetterli, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, then singled to left. Senior teammate Kylea Ambrose smoked an RBI double. The Cheesemakers batted around the order and scored six runs after two outs. Sophomore Alysha Witt delivered a two-out, two-run single to left to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 13-7. Junior Jessica Bennett, who went 3-for-5, followed with an RBI double. Dillon walked. Monroe senior Brooke Adams came through with an RBI single to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 13-9.
Vetterli then lined a two-run single to center. The Cheesemakers had the game-tying run at first base and the go-ahead run at the plate in senior Kaya Teasdale. Brandl struck out Teasdale to seal the win.
"We can hit the ball," Vetterli said. "We just need to make timely hits."
The Cheesemakers jumped out to an early lead in the first. Dillon reached on an error and Adams, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, bunted for a single. Upmann then lined an RBI double to center. Vetterli followed with an RBI single to center to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
Fort Atkinson's Natalie Bosch cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 2-1 with an RBI single in the second. Allard had a bloop two-run single to left that gave the Blackhawks a short-lived 3-2 lead.
Monroe answered in the bottom of the second. Bennett lined a double to left. Dillon singled to left. Adams then came through with a two-run double to give the Cheesemakers a 4-3 lead.
Dunkleberger crushed a solo home run to left to tie the game at 4 in the third. She smoked a two-run double to center in the fourth to give the Blackhawks a 6-4 lead. That set the stage for a dramatic seventh.
Ambrose went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Buvid was pleased to see Ambrose and Bennett have breakout performances.
"Kylea and Jess Bennett have kind of been struggling," Buvid said. "They both had multi-hit games and got going."
Monroe will host Monona Grove in another conference game Thursday.
Adams is confident the Cheesemakers can bounce back from a two-game losing streak.
"It hurts, but we know we can take a step forward," Adams said. "Some of the calls didn't go our way. That is how it goes sometimes. When we work together there is so much we can do as a team, and there is no one we can't beat."
Vetterli said it felt at times like the Cheesemakers were out of the game, but then she remembered some seventh-inning magic from last year.
"I had to remember how (Fort Atkinson) came back and scored six runs in the seventh inning last year to beat us," Vetterli said. "I knew we could do it and I got my fire back."
Monroe stormed back, scoring seven runs in its final at-bat against Fort Atkinson pitcher Ashlynn Brandl and almost pulled off an improbable comeback before falling short.
The Blackhawks withstood the rally to beat the Cheesemakers in a slugfest 13-11 Tuesday at a soggy Twining Park.
It was a wild seventh. Fort Atkinson (7-1, 4-0 Badger South) scored five runs in the top of the inning. The big blow came on Morgan Dunkleberger's three-run triple to center to help the Blackhawks surge to a 13-4 lead.
Dunkleberger was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers, going 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBI. She finished just a single short of hitting for the cycle.
Monroe senior pitcher Natalie Dillon pitched a complete game. Dillon gave up five earned runs. She struck out six, walked four and hit one.
Fort Atkinson pounded out 14 hits, including five for extra bases.
The Cheesemakers (6-3, 1-2 Badger South) committed two uncharacteristic errors.
"We started off 6-1, and we have laid two eggs in a row," said Monroe coach Dale Buvid, who also was referencing Monroe's 3-1 loss to Stoughton on Thursday. "It comes down to defense. We have to make more plays defensively. We didn't do enough. We gave them some extra outs. We gave up five unearned runs in the seventh, and we could have won 9-8."
The Blackhawks' No. 3 through 5 batters went a combined 8-for-12. Fort Atkinson's Kat Brandl went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Taylor Allard went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. She was on base four of the five times she batted, also drawing a walk and being hit by a pitch.
"Natalie got ahead in the count a lot, but she wasn't able to put them away," Buvid said. "She battled and competed. They are a good hitting team, but 13 runs is too many. You have to make quality pitches against good hitters at big moments. She deserved a slightly better fate."
The Cheesemakers wouldn't go quietly in the seventh. The rally started when junior Carly Upmann drew a lead-off walk. Vetterli, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, then singled to left. Senior teammate Kylea Ambrose smoked an RBI double. The Cheesemakers batted around the order and scored six runs after two outs. Sophomore Alysha Witt delivered a two-out, two-run single to left to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 13-7. Junior Jessica Bennett, who went 3-for-5, followed with an RBI double. Dillon walked. Monroe senior Brooke Adams came through with an RBI single to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 13-9.
Vetterli then lined a two-run single to center. The Cheesemakers had the game-tying run at first base and the go-ahead run at the plate in senior Kaya Teasdale. Brandl struck out Teasdale to seal the win.
"We can hit the ball," Vetterli said. "We just need to make timely hits."
The Cheesemakers jumped out to an early lead in the first. Dillon reached on an error and Adams, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, bunted for a single. Upmann then lined an RBI double to center. Vetterli followed with an RBI single to center to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
Fort Atkinson's Natalie Bosch cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 2-1 with an RBI single in the second. Allard had a bloop two-run single to left that gave the Blackhawks a short-lived 3-2 lead.
Monroe answered in the bottom of the second. Bennett lined a double to left. Dillon singled to left. Adams then came through with a two-run double to give the Cheesemakers a 4-3 lead.
Dunkleberger crushed a solo home run to left to tie the game at 4 in the third. She smoked a two-run double to center in the fourth to give the Blackhawks a 6-4 lead. That set the stage for a dramatic seventh.
Ambrose went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Buvid was pleased to see Ambrose and Bennett have breakout performances.
"Kylea and Jess Bennett have kind of been struggling," Buvid said. "They both had multi-hit games and got going."
Monroe will host Monona Grove in another conference game Thursday.
Adams is confident the Cheesemakers can bounce back from a two-game losing streak.
"It hurts, but we know we can take a step forward," Adams said. "Some of the calls didn't go our way. That is how it goes sometimes. When we work together there is so much we can do as a team, and there is no one we can't beat."
