MILWAUKEE - Playing at Helfaer Field in Milwaukee, with Miller Park in the background, the Monroe softball team dropped a tight non-conference game to Orangeville, 4-3.
Monroe scored two in the first inning and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead.
"We took advantage of a couple errors. (Heather) Barta drove in a run that first inning," said Monroe coach Dale Buvid. "We got some early runs, but the offense just never got rolling."
Becca Armstrong started the game in the circle for the Cheesemakers. The senior pitched the first four innings of the game, striking out 7 and walking none. Armstrong was relieved by Sam Solberg in the fifth inning. Solberg pitched two and two-thirds innings.
Monroe led 3-1 going into the seventh inning. Solberg recorded the first two outs of the inning, but Armstrong re-entered the game after Orangeville loaded the bases. The Broncos then got a bases-clearing double to win the game.
"Pretty happy with Becca. She struck out seven in four," Buvid said. "She didn't get much of a warmup. At a place like this they watch very closely. She gave up two hits in the first inning, but after that she was cruising. We have a doubleheader tomorrow, so she only pitched four."
Barta was the leading hitter for Monroe, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
"Heather was very good. We've been waiting for her to be a bit more consistent at the plate," Buvid said. "Today her hits found some holes. We need her to get some things done offensively. She's an outstanding defensive player. She has improved greatly, offensively. She's certainly stepped up."
The Cheesemakers (9-2) have a doubleheader today in Kenosha against Indian Hills.
"The weather was nice. We were in a very nice facility. It's neat venue, we played under the lights at the end," Buvid said. "We wanted to get everyone in the game. At the end, we wanted to win and the result was disappointing, but it's a non-conference game. It shouldn't have an effect in seeding. It's certainly not a killer."
Cuba City 4, Darlington 3
CUBA CITY - A pitcher's duel between Darlington's Jena Foulker and Cuba City's Chloe Pustina went down to the wire, but the Cubans pulled out the win in extra innings.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning, before the pitchers settled in.
"The second through the fifth were 1-2-3 for both pitchers. It was a good game," said Darlington coach Karen Bennett.
Darlington took the lead in the top of the ninth, before the Cubans won the game with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
"In the bottom of the ninth we had a 3-2 lead. There was a controversial call at second that should have been the second out," Bennett said. "We struck out the next batter. So that should have been the game. But we can't dwell on that.
"There were runners on second and third with two outs. We had a wild pitch. The girl at third scored. The catcher tossed the ball to the pitcher, and I don't know if she didn't see it, but the ball rolled to the mound and the other girl scored. Kind of a heartbreaker."
Foulker pitched all nine innings for the Redbirds, striking out nine. Bennett said she was very happy with Foulker's performance.
"It was awesome. She couldn't have done it better," Bennett said. "She's pitching tough. Last night and tonight, she pitched very tough. She threw a lot of good pitches."
The Redbirds (4-4, 2-2 SWAL) return to action on Monday at Iowa-Grant.
Marshall 26, New Glarus 0
NEW GLARUS - The New Glarus softball team was unable to get their bats going against Marshall's Hailee Frey, as the Cardinals senior pitcher no-hit the Glarner Knights in a 26-0 victory in the Strikeout for Cancer game.
"She's a very good pitcher," New Glarus coach Robert Wahl said of Frey. "We had a couple hard hits. Maybe too hard because the right fielder threw us out. She's just a good all-around pitcher. She kept us off balance. She only had seven strikeouts, so we were putting the ball in play for the most part."
Marshall got off to a quick start, scoring seven runs in the first inning. Wahl said some of the damage could have been prevented.
"The game started out and we struck out the conference player of the year, but there was a dropped third strike and she got on base... instead of maybe 2-0, it's seven," he said.
Wahl said that one positive for the Glarner Knights was the fifth inning. Hayley Latsch came in to pitch and held the Cardinals scoreless in the inning.
"On the postive side, Hayley Latsch came in and threw a scoreless inning," he said. "She got out of the fifth with no runs. The positive was they didn't just keep rolling on us."
The Glarner Knights (1-5, 0-1 Capitol South) have the weekend off before returning with a doubleheader on Tuesday at Cambridge.
Juda-Albany 5, Pecatonica (Ill.) 2
PECATONICA, ILL. - The Juda-Albany softball team got off to a quick start, scoring four in the first inning, and held on to knock off Pecatonica (Ill.) 5-2.
Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said getting his leadoff hitters on base was key to getting off to the fast start.
"It really helps when your first two get on," Davis said. "(Molly) Marass and (Morganne) Goecks got on, and then (Jessica) Crull came up and got a single and drove both in. Jessica Rackow got a hit, and then Carlie Peters got a double and drove in those two."
Tabatha Davis started for the Panthers and threw all seven innings. Davis had seven strikeouts and walked one. Both Pecatonica runs came in the sixth inning and were unearned.
"She threw pretty well," Bill Davis said. "She commanded her pitches. Kept them off balance. Got quite a few groundball outs. The supporting cast behind her did a pretty good job."
The Panthers (5-5) return to conference play on Tuesday with a game at Monticello. Davis said his team will have to play sound defense to knock off the Ponies.
Monroe scored two in the first inning and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead.
"We took advantage of a couple errors. (Heather) Barta drove in a run that first inning," said Monroe coach Dale Buvid. "We got some early runs, but the offense just never got rolling."
Becca Armstrong started the game in the circle for the Cheesemakers. The senior pitched the first four innings of the game, striking out 7 and walking none. Armstrong was relieved by Sam Solberg in the fifth inning. Solberg pitched two and two-thirds innings.
Monroe led 3-1 going into the seventh inning. Solberg recorded the first two outs of the inning, but Armstrong re-entered the game after Orangeville loaded the bases. The Broncos then got a bases-clearing double to win the game.
"Pretty happy with Becca. She struck out seven in four," Buvid said. "She didn't get much of a warmup. At a place like this they watch very closely. She gave up two hits in the first inning, but after that she was cruising. We have a doubleheader tomorrow, so she only pitched four."
Barta was the leading hitter for Monroe, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
"Heather was very good. We've been waiting for her to be a bit more consistent at the plate," Buvid said. "Today her hits found some holes. We need her to get some things done offensively. She's an outstanding defensive player. She has improved greatly, offensively. She's certainly stepped up."
The Cheesemakers (9-2) have a doubleheader today in Kenosha against Indian Hills.
"The weather was nice. We were in a very nice facility. It's neat venue, we played under the lights at the end," Buvid said. "We wanted to get everyone in the game. At the end, we wanted to win and the result was disappointing, but it's a non-conference game. It shouldn't have an effect in seeding. It's certainly not a killer."
Cuba City 4, Darlington 3
CUBA CITY - A pitcher's duel between Darlington's Jena Foulker and Cuba City's Chloe Pustina went down to the wire, but the Cubans pulled out the win in extra innings.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning, before the pitchers settled in.
"The second through the fifth were 1-2-3 for both pitchers. It was a good game," said Darlington coach Karen Bennett.
Darlington took the lead in the top of the ninth, before the Cubans won the game with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
"In the bottom of the ninth we had a 3-2 lead. There was a controversial call at second that should have been the second out," Bennett said. "We struck out the next batter. So that should have been the game. But we can't dwell on that.
"There were runners on second and third with two outs. We had a wild pitch. The girl at third scored. The catcher tossed the ball to the pitcher, and I don't know if she didn't see it, but the ball rolled to the mound and the other girl scored. Kind of a heartbreaker."
Foulker pitched all nine innings for the Redbirds, striking out nine. Bennett said she was very happy with Foulker's performance.
"It was awesome. She couldn't have done it better," Bennett said. "She's pitching tough. Last night and tonight, she pitched very tough. She threw a lot of good pitches."
The Redbirds (4-4, 2-2 SWAL) return to action on Monday at Iowa-Grant.
Marshall 26, New Glarus 0
NEW GLARUS - The New Glarus softball team was unable to get their bats going against Marshall's Hailee Frey, as the Cardinals senior pitcher no-hit the Glarner Knights in a 26-0 victory in the Strikeout for Cancer game.
"She's a very good pitcher," New Glarus coach Robert Wahl said of Frey. "We had a couple hard hits. Maybe too hard because the right fielder threw us out. She's just a good all-around pitcher. She kept us off balance. She only had seven strikeouts, so we were putting the ball in play for the most part."
Marshall got off to a quick start, scoring seven runs in the first inning. Wahl said some of the damage could have been prevented.
"The game started out and we struck out the conference player of the year, but there was a dropped third strike and she got on base... instead of maybe 2-0, it's seven," he said.
Wahl said that one positive for the Glarner Knights was the fifth inning. Hayley Latsch came in to pitch and held the Cardinals scoreless in the inning.
"On the postive side, Hayley Latsch came in and threw a scoreless inning," he said. "She got out of the fifth with no runs. The positive was they didn't just keep rolling on us."
The Glarner Knights (1-5, 0-1 Capitol South) have the weekend off before returning with a doubleheader on Tuesday at Cambridge.
Juda-Albany 5, Pecatonica (Ill.) 2
PECATONICA, ILL. - The Juda-Albany softball team got off to a quick start, scoring four in the first inning, and held on to knock off Pecatonica (Ill.) 5-2.
Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said getting his leadoff hitters on base was key to getting off to the fast start.
"It really helps when your first two get on," Davis said. "(Molly) Marass and (Morganne) Goecks got on, and then (Jessica) Crull came up and got a single and drove both in. Jessica Rackow got a hit, and then Carlie Peters got a double and drove in those two."
Tabatha Davis started for the Panthers and threw all seven innings. Davis had seven strikeouts and walked one. Both Pecatonica runs came in the sixth inning and were unearned.
"She threw pretty well," Bill Davis said. "She commanded her pitches. Kept them off balance. Got quite a few groundball outs. The supporting cast behind her did a pretty good job."
The Panthers (5-5) return to conference play on Tuesday with a game at Monticello. Davis said his team will have to play sound defense to knock off the Ponies.
