MONROE - What started as a fast-moving game Tuesday, with little scoring, quickly turned into a drawn out nightmare for the Cheesemaker softball team.
After cruising through the first four innings in under 50 minutes and trailing just 2-0, the final three innings of the 14-1 loss to Oregon took nearly an hour and a half.
"We had a chance," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "There were just a couple of plays in separate instances we didn't make. They scored most of their runs with two outs."
Oregon scored seven runs in the fifth inning on three hits, five walks, a hit batter and a dropped third strike. Four of the walks came with bases loaded. In the game, 11 Oregon runs came after two outs, including all seven in the fifth inning.
"To be fair to (starting pitcher Kristin McArdle), we've been working on her speed and she threw hard Friday, Saturday and Sunday on her own," Buvid said. "She was not supposed to pitch on Monday (a win over Edgewood), but she had to for us to win the game. To come back to her on Tuesday and throw lots of pitches hard, I think she just ran out of gas. And give Oregon a lot of credit too - when we threw it down the middle, they creamed it."
McArdle struggled walking nine batters in six innings of work. The defense behind missed some opportunities as well.
"I'm not laying this on (McArdle) at all. We have to play better defensively and put something together offensively early in the game, which is something we didn't do," Buvid said, whose squad had three errors in the game. "The thing is you can't give them extra outs, and extra outs cost us in this game."
The Panthers sent 37 hitters to the plate in the final four innings, with a scoreless sixth as the final bright spot for the Cheesemakers.
"Kristin's making strides. She's getting better," Buvid said, who added that McArdle plays two other sports and spent last summer in Costa Rica. "You don't want to see nine walks, but a part of that is just the fatigue factor. And she still has some mechanical issues we need to work out."
Monroe's only run came in the bottom of the fifth. Paisley Bennett, who was the leadoff hitter on last year's state runner-up team, got a triple to lead off the inning - her second hit of the day - and came around to score on Tasha Frie's single moments later.
"We rely on our seniors and the top of the order, and we need our best hitters to step up and hit consistently," Buvid said. "It's been a struggle for (Paisley) this year. She used to be our leadoff hitter and she just picked up probably her second and third hits of the year. I give her credit for coming up with two big hits. It's good to see her bat going. I think she just needed a little confidence in that area and the two hits tonight should certainly help."
Jessica Beckman pitched the seventh, allowing eight baserunners on four hits, two walks and a pair of hit batters. Combined, Monroe pitchers allowed 26 baserunners, with just one of those coming in the first three innings.
Oregon's Bryn Anderson finished the night 4-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and was on base five times.
"Anderson had a great game as their No. 2 hitter, she creamed it early," Buvid said.
Monroe had just five hits and six total baserunners.
Monroe (3-7, 3-2 Badger South) gets one day of rest before traveling to Stoughton Thursday.
After cruising through the first four innings in under 50 minutes and trailing just 2-0, the final three innings of the 14-1 loss to Oregon took nearly an hour and a half.
"We had a chance," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "There were just a couple of plays in separate instances we didn't make. They scored most of their runs with two outs."
Oregon scored seven runs in the fifth inning on three hits, five walks, a hit batter and a dropped third strike. Four of the walks came with bases loaded. In the game, 11 Oregon runs came after two outs, including all seven in the fifth inning.
"To be fair to (starting pitcher Kristin McArdle), we've been working on her speed and she threw hard Friday, Saturday and Sunday on her own," Buvid said. "She was not supposed to pitch on Monday (a win over Edgewood), but she had to for us to win the game. To come back to her on Tuesday and throw lots of pitches hard, I think she just ran out of gas. And give Oregon a lot of credit too - when we threw it down the middle, they creamed it."
McArdle struggled walking nine batters in six innings of work. The defense behind missed some opportunities as well.
"I'm not laying this on (McArdle) at all. We have to play better defensively and put something together offensively early in the game, which is something we didn't do," Buvid said, whose squad had three errors in the game. "The thing is you can't give them extra outs, and extra outs cost us in this game."
The Panthers sent 37 hitters to the plate in the final four innings, with a scoreless sixth as the final bright spot for the Cheesemakers.
"Kristin's making strides. She's getting better," Buvid said, who added that McArdle plays two other sports and spent last summer in Costa Rica. "You don't want to see nine walks, but a part of that is just the fatigue factor. And she still has some mechanical issues we need to work out."
Monroe's only run came in the bottom of the fifth. Paisley Bennett, who was the leadoff hitter on last year's state runner-up team, got a triple to lead off the inning - her second hit of the day - and came around to score on Tasha Frie's single moments later.
"We rely on our seniors and the top of the order, and we need our best hitters to step up and hit consistently," Buvid said. "It's been a struggle for (Paisley) this year. She used to be our leadoff hitter and she just picked up probably her second and third hits of the year. I give her credit for coming up with two big hits. It's good to see her bat going. I think she just needed a little confidence in that area and the two hits tonight should certainly help."
Jessica Beckman pitched the seventh, allowing eight baserunners on four hits, two walks and a pair of hit batters. Combined, Monroe pitchers allowed 26 baserunners, with just one of those coming in the first three innings.
Oregon's Bryn Anderson finished the night 4-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and was on base five times.
"Anderson had a great game as their No. 2 hitter, she creamed it early," Buvid said.
Monroe had just five hits and six total baserunners.
Monroe (3-7, 3-2 Badger South) gets one day of rest before traveling to Stoughton Thursday.
