MONROE - The Monroe baseball team continues to search for ways to snap their long losing streak, which grew a little more Saturday after the Cheesemakers dropped a doubleheader to Parkview.
Monroe (2-16, 1-9 Badger South) committed two errors in the first game and four in the second game as Parkview swept Monroe 6-1, 7-6. The Cheesemakers have now lost 12 straight games.
The Cheesemakers had a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth in the second game of the doubleheader but couldn't hang on. The Vikings rallied to score six runs in the inning to cap the 7-6 comeback win.
"We have to make plays," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "If we don't make plays, we will continue to get the same result."
Monroe junior Mitch Riese went 4 1/3 innings in the first game and gave up two earned runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked five. Three of the five hitters he walked came around to score.
Huffman said he was pleased with his pitcher's performance, but said some inexperience may have led the Vikings to be more aggressive stealing bases.
"For him not pitching much, I thought he pitched really well," Huffman said. "He was able to throw three pitches - fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. He didn't go with a slide step at first to hold on runners. He wasn't quite sure about holding on runners. It's definitely something we have to work on."
Parkview pitchers Trevor Aasen and Jameson Lavery tossed a combined three-hitter. Monroe's Ryan Erickson reached first base in the opening frame after a dropped third strike. Senior Austin Burandt followed that up with a single, and junior Kevin Klopfenstein ripped a single to left, scoring Erickson and tying the game at 1.
Lavery led off the second with a single. Riese then walked Alex Hauri, and Jarrett Warden bunted for a single that went under Riese's glove to load the bases. Nick Henning, who was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, then lined a two-run double to left center to give the Vikings a 3-1 lead.
Aasen had a two-run single in the fourth and Henning had an RBI single in the fifth. That was more than enough for the Vikings. Aasen pitched five innings and he gave up one run on three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
"We faced their two best pitchers," Huffman said. "We have to find a way to put the ball in play. We have talked about being aggressive early in the count because that is usually when you will see a fastball."
In the second game of the twinbill, sophomore Ryan Hughes went 3-for-4 to lead the Cheesemakers. Klopfenstein went 2-for-4 with two doubles and Burandt was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Monroe junior Cody Pivonka pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on nine hits. The Vikings were able to draw a couple of walks in the sixth and scored two runs on two errors. They also scored on a wild pitch.
"Any time you have nine hits and have a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, you have to feel good," Huffman said. "We only had to get six outs. Sometimes it's easier said than done. Defensively, we made a lot of mistakes in that inning."
Monroe (2-16, 1-9 Badger South) committed two errors in the first game and four in the second game as Parkview swept Monroe 6-1, 7-6. The Cheesemakers have now lost 12 straight games.
The Cheesemakers had a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth in the second game of the doubleheader but couldn't hang on. The Vikings rallied to score six runs in the inning to cap the 7-6 comeback win.
"We have to make plays," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "If we don't make plays, we will continue to get the same result."
Monroe junior Mitch Riese went 4 1/3 innings in the first game and gave up two earned runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked five. Three of the five hitters he walked came around to score.
Huffman said he was pleased with his pitcher's performance, but said some inexperience may have led the Vikings to be more aggressive stealing bases.
"For him not pitching much, I thought he pitched really well," Huffman said. "He was able to throw three pitches - fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. He didn't go with a slide step at first to hold on runners. He wasn't quite sure about holding on runners. It's definitely something we have to work on."
Parkview pitchers Trevor Aasen and Jameson Lavery tossed a combined three-hitter. Monroe's Ryan Erickson reached first base in the opening frame after a dropped third strike. Senior Austin Burandt followed that up with a single, and junior Kevin Klopfenstein ripped a single to left, scoring Erickson and tying the game at 1.
Lavery led off the second with a single. Riese then walked Alex Hauri, and Jarrett Warden bunted for a single that went under Riese's glove to load the bases. Nick Henning, who was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, then lined a two-run double to left center to give the Vikings a 3-1 lead.
Aasen had a two-run single in the fourth and Henning had an RBI single in the fifth. That was more than enough for the Vikings. Aasen pitched five innings and he gave up one run on three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
"We faced their two best pitchers," Huffman said. "We have to find a way to put the ball in play. We have talked about being aggressive early in the count because that is usually when you will see a fastball."
In the second game of the twinbill, sophomore Ryan Hughes went 3-for-4 to lead the Cheesemakers. Klopfenstein went 2-for-4 with two doubles and Burandt was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Monroe junior Cody Pivonka pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on nine hits. The Vikings were able to draw a couple of walks in the sixth and scored two runs on two errors. They also scored on a wild pitch.
"Any time you have nine hits and have a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, you have to feel good," Huffman said. "We only had to get six outs. Sometimes it's easier said than done. Defensively, we made a lot of mistakes in that inning."
