ARGYLE - The Monticello softball team rallied to clip Argyle 8-7 in the Six Rivers East Conference opener for both teams Tuesday.
Argyle (1-2, 0-1 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a five-run second inning off Monticello senior pitcher Courtney Leuzinger. The big blows in the second were Argyle senior Jenna Langmeier's two-run double and an RBI single by Amber Dammen.
The Ponies stormed back with three runs in the fourth. Monticello senior Samantha DeVoe reached on an error and Leuzinger delivered an RBI double. Monticello's Megan Lehr also had an RBI single. The Ponies scored two runs in the fifth to tie it at 5. Monticello (3-1, 1-0) took the lead with a two-run sixth. Monticello senior Brooke Bidlingmaier reached on an error and Lehr came through with a go-ahead RBI double to give the Ponies a 6-5 lead. Monticello senior Jordan Garrison, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI, also had a key RBI single to give the Ponies a 7-5 lead.
The Orioles were plagued by five errors.
"I told them not to hang their heads," Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert said. "They never gave up. We just have to cut down on our errors. If we wouldn't have had five errors, we could have won 7-3."
Leuzinger went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Ponies. Lehr also went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Leuzinger earned the win pitching a complete game. She gave up seven runs on 10 hits. She struck out five and walked five.
Langmeier went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the Orioles. Dammen had a double and two RBI.
Argyle's Katie Larson pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out four and walked two.
The Orioles came back with a two-run seventh and had the winning run on second base when Larson flew out to center.
"We have some injuries and have some girls in different spots," Ganshert said. "I'm really happy with how we hit and our pitching."
Juda-Albany 7, Barneveld 1
JUDA - Nicki Becker turned in a dazzling pitching performance to lead Juda-Albany to a 7-1 win over Barneveld.
Becker, a freshman pitcher, tossed a compete game and struck out 13. She gave up just one run on two hits. With the win, Juda-Albany improves to 2-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East.
"Nicki threw an amazing game for us as cold as it was," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "When it's that cold it's tough to get a grip on the ball."
The Panthers pounded out 10 hits at the plate. Juda-Albany senior Molly Marass was on base all four times she batted going 1-for-1 with three walks. Sophomore teammate Sara Jordan went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run and sophomore Alexis Goecks was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Becker finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
"Our offense got a couple of clutch hits early and took the pressure off her (Becker)," Davis said.
New Glarus 6, Lake Mills 4
LAKE MILLS - Locked in a tie game in the seventh inning, New Glarus broke the game open with three runs for a comeback 6-4 win over Lake Mills.
New Glarus junior Paige Bump singled in the seventh to start the rally. Junior teammate Jessica Van Dusen walked and Brina James walked to load the bases. Sierra Whisler was then hit by a pitch to force in a run. Freshman Maggie Berge was walked to force in another run to give the Knights a 5-3 lead. James later scored on a passed ball to cap the comeback. With the win, New Glarus improves to 2-3.
"It was a big win," New Glarus assistant coach Drew Moen said. "We played really good defense. They battled for the whole game."
New Glarus sophomore Maya Kramer went 2-for-4 and James was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Kramer started on the mound and pitched two innings. She gave up one unearned run on one hit. She struck out two and walked one. Freshman teammate Riley Parker pitched five innings and gave up two earned runs on six hits. She struck out three and walked one.
"They were both throwing strikes and getting groundouts," Moen said. "It made it a lot easier on the defense and the team."
Evansville 9, Brodhead 1
BRODHEAD - The Brodhead softball team managed just four hits and lost its season opener to Evansville 9-1.
Evansville broke the game open with a six-run third inning. The four hits for the Cardinals came from Erin Kloepping, Amber Pickel, Payton Wright and Taylor Gerlach.
Brodhead senior Brooke Boegli pitched a complete game and gave up nine runs (five earned runs) on nine hits. She struck out five and walked three.
Black Hawk 16, Pecatonica 0
GRATIOT - Black Hawk's Tatum Jackson went 3-for-3 with a triple to power the Warriors to a 16-0 win over Pecatonica.
The Warriors broke open a 4-0 game with an eight-run third inning. Black Hawk's Rachel Ritschard went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
Ritschard pitched a complete game one-hit shutout. She struck out seven and walked three.
Two Pecatonica pitchers combined walked 13. Pecatonica's Carly Rindy pitched two innings and walked eight. She gave up four runs on eight hits. Pecatonica's Ninah McKeon pitched two innings and gave up 12 runs on three hits. She walked five.
Argyle (1-2, 0-1 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a five-run second inning off Monticello senior pitcher Courtney Leuzinger. The big blows in the second were Argyle senior Jenna Langmeier's two-run double and an RBI single by Amber Dammen.
The Ponies stormed back with three runs in the fourth. Monticello senior Samantha DeVoe reached on an error and Leuzinger delivered an RBI double. Monticello's Megan Lehr also had an RBI single. The Ponies scored two runs in the fifth to tie it at 5. Monticello (3-1, 1-0) took the lead with a two-run sixth. Monticello senior Brooke Bidlingmaier reached on an error and Lehr came through with a go-ahead RBI double to give the Ponies a 6-5 lead. Monticello senior Jordan Garrison, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI, also had a key RBI single to give the Ponies a 7-5 lead.
The Orioles were plagued by five errors.
"I told them not to hang their heads," Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert said. "They never gave up. We just have to cut down on our errors. If we wouldn't have had five errors, we could have won 7-3."
Leuzinger went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Ponies. Lehr also went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Leuzinger earned the win pitching a complete game. She gave up seven runs on 10 hits. She struck out five and walked five.
Langmeier went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the Orioles. Dammen had a double and two RBI.
Argyle's Katie Larson pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out four and walked two.
The Orioles came back with a two-run seventh and had the winning run on second base when Larson flew out to center.
"We have some injuries and have some girls in different spots," Ganshert said. "I'm really happy with how we hit and our pitching."
Juda-Albany 7, Barneveld 1
JUDA - Nicki Becker turned in a dazzling pitching performance to lead Juda-Albany to a 7-1 win over Barneveld.
Becker, a freshman pitcher, tossed a compete game and struck out 13. She gave up just one run on two hits. With the win, Juda-Albany improves to 2-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East.
"Nicki threw an amazing game for us as cold as it was," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "When it's that cold it's tough to get a grip on the ball."
The Panthers pounded out 10 hits at the plate. Juda-Albany senior Molly Marass was on base all four times she batted going 1-for-1 with three walks. Sophomore teammate Sara Jordan went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run and sophomore Alexis Goecks was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Becker finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
"Our offense got a couple of clutch hits early and took the pressure off her (Becker)," Davis said.
New Glarus 6, Lake Mills 4
LAKE MILLS - Locked in a tie game in the seventh inning, New Glarus broke the game open with three runs for a comeback 6-4 win over Lake Mills.
New Glarus junior Paige Bump singled in the seventh to start the rally. Junior teammate Jessica Van Dusen walked and Brina James walked to load the bases. Sierra Whisler was then hit by a pitch to force in a run. Freshman Maggie Berge was walked to force in another run to give the Knights a 5-3 lead. James later scored on a passed ball to cap the comeback. With the win, New Glarus improves to 2-3.
"It was a big win," New Glarus assistant coach Drew Moen said. "We played really good defense. They battled for the whole game."
New Glarus sophomore Maya Kramer went 2-for-4 and James was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Kramer started on the mound and pitched two innings. She gave up one unearned run on one hit. She struck out two and walked one. Freshman teammate Riley Parker pitched five innings and gave up two earned runs on six hits. She struck out three and walked one.
"They were both throwing strikes and getting groundouts," Moen said. "It made it a lot easier on the defense and the team."
Evansville 9, Brodhead 1
BRODHEAD - The Brodhead softball team managed just four hits and lost its season opener to Evansville 9-1.
Evansville broke the game open with a six-run third inning. The four hits for the Cardinals came from Erin Kloepping, Amber Pickel, Payton Wright and Taylor Gerlach.
Brodhead senior Brooke Boegli pitched a complete game and gave up nine runs (five earned runs) on nine hits. She struck out five and walked three.
Black Hawk 16, Pecatonica 0
GRATIOT - Black Hawk's Tatum Jackson went 3-for-3 with a triple to power the Warriors to a 16-0 win over Pecatonica.
The Warriors broke open a 4-0 game with an eight-run third inning. Black Hawk's Rachel Ritschard went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
Ritschard pitched a complete game one-hit shutout. She struck out seven and walked three.
Two Pecatonica pitchers combined walked 13. Pecatonica's Carly Rindy pitched two innings and walked eight. She gave up four runs on eight hits. Pecatonica's Ninah McKeon pitched two innings and gave up 12 runs on three hits. She walked five.
