STOUGHTON - The Monroe baseball team rallied twice against Badger South Conference leader Stoughton before dropping the regular season finale to the Vikings 9-6 Tuesday, May 21.
Stoughton can win the conference if they defeat Madison Edgewood today.
"It's not really a surprise," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "They hit the ball well. They have a good team. With five errors, we gave them some extra runs and that ends up being the difference in a three-run game."
Monroe (2-19) scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-1 lead. Monroe sophomore Sean Saxby walked and junior Trent Einbeck was hit by a pitch. Monroe junior Isaiah Siemers, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI, singled. Senior Ryan Erickson then came through with an RBI single.
"It was some good two-out baseball," Huffman said of the second inning.
The Cheesemakers had a four-run fourth to take a 6-5 lead. Saxby singled and Trent Einbeck moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Siemers then delivered an RBI double and Erickson walked. Monroe senior Dusty Burkhalter then lined a two-run triple to tie the game at 5. Monroe senior Alex Einbeck knocked in the go-ahead run with a ground out.
Alex Einbeck pitched five innings and gave up nine runs (six earned runs) on 10 hits. He walked just one. Burkhalter pitched one shutout inning in relief.
"Alex did a good job of throwing strikes," Huffman said. "When it came to putting them away, he left some of his pitches up and they hit some of his better pitches. Sometimes you have to tip your cap to them."
Monroe will play in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game at Clinton on Friday. Monroe senior Lane Berndt is expected to get the starting pitching nod.
"We need him to throw strikes," Huffman said. "They are beatable. It's cliche, but it will come down to defense and executing at the plate. It comes down to making the plays we have the ability to make."
River Ridge 9,
Argyle 8
BLOOMINGTON - In what was supposed to be a five-inning regular season finale, River Ridge and Argyle battled for nine innings before the Timberwolves came out on top.
Argyle led 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth before River Ridge scored a run to send it to extras. The Orioles responded with three runs in the top of the sixth, but the Timberwolves scored three of their own to extend the game. The two teams traded zeros for the next few innings before River Ridge scored on a walkoff bases-loaded bloop single.
Riley Ostby pitched the first two innings for Argyle, but came back later and ended up throwing five and two-thirds total. Kyle Olson threw one inning, and Colton Ploessl threw two.
"The whole thing was pretty strange," said Argyle coach Chuck Bredeson. "We bumped our playoff game up to Thursday. The innings that our pitchers pitched today are minus those for Thursday. We were trying for two innings tops (for each pitcher) and that's it in case we need them Thursday."
Win or lose, Bredeson said he was happy with the outcome
"We as a coaching staff didn't care coming in about getting a win or loss," he said. "We were looking to try to hit the ball. We had twelve hits, just getting ready for Thursday. We tried some situational stuff, some baserunning stuff. We were fine with it."
Argyle finished the regular season with a 9-8 overall record and 8-8 in the Six Rivers. The Orioles host Belmont on Thursday.
Darlington 8, Mineral Point 1
MINERAL POINT - Darlington's Cole McDonald went 3-for-3 with a home run to lead the Redbirds to a win over Mineral Point.
McDonald also pitched a complete game and gave up just one run on six hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The Redbirds broke the game open with a four-run fourth. Darlington's Jason Singer, who went 3-for-4, had a key RBI single in the fourth. Darlington's Ben Muhlstein and Nate Fleming each had RBI singles in the fourth for the Redbirds.
"It's a huge win for us," Darlington coach Matt Austin said. "We have been playing a lot better baseball. Tonight was a step forward to completing a game. We put the ball in play. We loosened up and hit well."
Darlington (7-10, 6-8 SWAL) will host Belleville in a regional quarterfinal game Friday.
"We have the right momentum going into the playoffs," Austin said.
River Ridge 8, Monticello 7
RIVER RIDGE - Spencer White crushed a game-winning walkoff RBI single to give River Ridge an extra-inning win over Monticello.
"This by far is our best game of the year," Monticello coach Scott White said. "We came out and swung the bats well. We are definitely going into the playoffs Friday with some momentum."
Monticello (1-19) scored five runs in the second inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Monticello senior Bryce Klitzke had a three-run triple in the second.
Monticello freshman Dez Hannenberger had a two-run double in the fourth to give the Ponies a 7-4 lead. Monticello junior Lucas Marty went 3-for-4 with one RBI and three stolen bases. Sophomore Jake Pusel and junior Logan Crooks were each 2-for-3.
Monticello will play at Albany in a regional quarterfinal game Friday.
Stoughton can win the conference if they defeat Madison Edgewood today.
"It's not really a surprise," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "They hit the ball well. They have a good team. With five errors, we gave them some extra runs and that ends up being the difference in a three-run game."
Monroe (2-19) scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-1 lead. Monroe sophomore Sean Saxby walked and junior Trent Einbeck was hit by a pitch. Monroe junior Isaiah Siemers, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI, singled. Senior Ryan Erickson then came through with an RBI single.
"It was some good two-out baseball," Huffman said of the second inning.
The Cheesemakers had a four-run fourth to take a 6-5 lead. Saxby singled and Trent Einbeck moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Siemers then delivered an RBI double and Erickson walked. Monroe senior Dusty Burkhalter then lined a two-run triple to tie the game at 5. Monroe senior Alex Einbeck knocked in the go-ahead run with a ground out.
Alex Einbeck pitched five innings and gave up nine runs (six earned runs) on 10 hits. He walked just one. Burkhalter pitched one shutout inning in relief.
"Alex did a good job of throwing strikes," Huffman said. "When it came to putting them away, he left some of his pitches up and they hit some of his better pitches. Sometimes you have to tip your cap to them."
Monroe will play in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game at Clinton on Friday. Monroe senior Lane Berndt is expected to get the starting pitching nod.
"We need him to throw strikes," Huffman said. "They are beatable. It's cliche, but it will come down to defense and executing at the plate. It comes down to making the plays we have the ability to make."
River Ridge 9,
Argyle 8
BLOOMINGTON - In what was supposed to be a five-inning regular season finale, River Ridge and Argyle battled for nine innings before the Timberwolves came out on top.
Argyle led 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth before River Ridge scored a run to send it to extras. The Orioles responded with three runs in the top of the sixth, but the Timberwolves scored three of their own to extend the game. The two teams traded zeros for the next few innings before River Ridge scored on a walkoff bases-loaded bloop single.
Riley Ostby pitched the first two innings for Argyle, but came back later and ended up throwing five and two-thirds total. Kyle Olson threw one inning, and Colton Ploessl threw two.
"The whole thing was pretty strange," said Argyle coach Chuck Bredeson. "We bumped our playoff game up to Thursday. The innings that our pitchers pitched today are minus those for Thursday. We were trying for two innings tops (for each pitcher) and that's it in case we need them Thursday."
Win or lose, Bredeson said he was happy with the outcome
"We as a coaching staff didn't care coming in about getting a win or loss," he said. "We were looking to try to hit the ball. We had twelve hits, just getting ready for Thursday. We tried some situational stuff, some baserunning stuff. We were fine with it."
Argyle finished the regular season with a 9-8 overall record and 8-8 in the Six Rivers. The Orioles host Belmont on Thursday.
Darlington 8, Mineral Point 1
MINERAL POINT - Darlington's Cole McDonald went 3-for-3 with a home run to lead the Redbirds to a win over Mineral Point.
McDonald also pitched a complete game and gave up just one run on six hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The Redbirds broke the game open with a four-run fourth. Darlington's Jason Singer, who went 3-for-4, had a key RBI single in the fourth. Darlington's Ben Muhlstein and Nate Fleming each had RBI singles in the fourth for the Redbirds.
"It's a huge win for us," Darlington coach Matt Austin said. "We have been playing a lot better baseball. Tonight was a step forward to completing a game. We put the ball in play. We loosened up and hit well."
Darlington (7-10, 6-8 SWAL) will host Belleville in a regional quarterfinal game Friday.
"We have the right momentum going into the playoffs," Austin said.
River Ridge 8, Monticello 7
RIVER RIDGE - Spencer White crushed a game-winning walkoff RBI single to give River Ridge an extra-inning win over Monticello.
"This by far is our best game of the year," Monticello coach Scott White said. "We came out and swung the bats well. We are definitely going into the playoffs Friday with some momentum."
Monticello (1-19) scored five runs in the second inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Monticello senior Bryce Klitzke had a three-run triple in the second.
Monticello freshman Dez Hannenberger had a two-run double in the fourth to give the Ponies a 7-4 lead. Monticello junior Lucas Marty went 3-for-4 with one RBI and three stolen bases. Sophomore Jake Pusel and junior Logan Crooks were each 2-for-3.
Monticello will play at Albany in a regional quarterfinal game Friday.
