MONROE - The Monroe softball team showed glimpses of a team that could make a post-season run, but lost a doubleheader to Waterford on Monday, 8-5 and 11-1.
"They are a great Division 1 team," Monroe senior Kristin McArdle said who pitched just her second game this season in the night cap of the doubleheader. "It's good to go against and see a Division 1 pitcher. We have to get better. We hope and plan to make another run in the tournament."
Waterford pounded out 28 hits in the twin bill. McArdle gave up 11 runs on 16 hits in the second game. The Cheesemakers (9-8, 5-5 Badger South) were plagued by five errors in the second game.
Waterford (11-4) scored four runs in the seventh inning off of Monroe sophomore pitcher Becca Armstrong in the first game to win it. Waterford senior Karisa Simonsen singled leading off the seventh. Fellow senior Courtney Ramczyk then roped a double to left. Waterford's Abbey Zortman then delivered a go-ahead bloop RBI single, to give the Wolverines a 5-4 lead. Waterford also got an RBI single from Delaney Kent and a two-run single by Haley Ellie.
"I think we competed in the first game," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "I thought Armstrong was very good in the first game. Her changeup and pace was better. The biggest difference was they hit the ball on the top better than we did late in the game."
Early on, it was a see-saw affair. The Wolverines jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on Alicia Barbian's two-run single to left center off Armstrong. The Cheesemakers rallied with a three-run third. Monroe senior Kaylee Craigo doubled down the right field line. Rebecca Flannery then reached on an error. Freshman Chandra McGuire, who was 3 for 4 in the first game, delivered an RBI double to left center. Senior Kelsey Erickson came through with a go-ahead two-run single to center to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived, 3-2 lead.
The Wolverines responded when sophomore Megan Jensen lined a two-run single to center in the fourth to give the Wolverines a 4-3 lead. McGuire helped the Cheesemakers answer in the bottom of the fourth when she lined a clutch two-out game-tying single to center to tie the game at 4.
"It was good because I got everything going and everyone was upbeat more," McGuire said.
The Cheesemakers had a golden scoring opportunity in the sixth after Craigo, who was 2 for 3, singled to right. Craigo was then picked off first.
The Cheesemakers didn't go quietly in the seventh. Monroe's Alyssa Montgomery, who was 2 for 3, doubled down the left field line. Freshman Ellie Grossen, who was 2 for 2, followed crushing an RBI double to center. Monroe finished the first game with 12 hits and four doubles.
Buvid said the Cheesemakers didn't set up the second game to win it, but rather to play everyone.
Just like the first game, the Wolverines jumped out to an early lead in the first. Waterford's Simonsen hit a chopper to Monroe third baseman Sarah Gempeler. Gempeler couldn't make a throw to first since no one was covering the bag. Waterford sophomore Alyssa Halwig then reached on an error. Ramczyk then followed with a two-run single to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead.
"We are a decent team, but we are not good enough to give quality teams four outs and win," Buvid said. "Giving teams extra outs has been a problem for us all year."
The Wolverines tacked on three runs in the second. Waterford senior Sara Terrian delivered an RBI single and Jensen had an RBI double. Jensen scored when the Cheesemakers overthrew home and that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead.
Waterford freshman Maddie Szalewski limited the Cheesemakers to just three hits in her six innings in the night cap. McArdle was 2 for 3 with a double and triple to lead the Cheesemakers in the second game.
The Cheesemakers scored their only run in the fourth. Erickson singled up the middle leading off the fourth. McArdle then doubled to center. Montgomery then knocked in a run on a groundout.
The Wolverines put the game away with a four-run fifth. Helwig doubled and Alicia Barbian singled. The Cheesemakers then committed their third error and allowed a run to score. Waterford sophomore Kelly Strasser then lined a two-run single to left to give the Wolverines a commanding 8-1 lead.
"They have a good hitting lineup up and down the order," McArdle said. "It's hard to pitch to them. You can't take anyone for granted."
"They are a great Division 1 team," Monroe senior Kristin McArdle said who pitched just her second game this season in the night cap of the doubleheader. "It's good to go against and see a Division 1 pitcher. We have to get better. We hope and plan to make another run in the tournament."
Waterford pounded out 28 hits in the twin bill. McArdle gave up 11 runs on 16 hits in the second game. The Cheesemakers (9-8, 5-5 Badger South) were plagued by five errors in the second game.
Waterford (11-4) scored four runs in the seventh inning off of Monroe sophomore pitcher Becca Armstrong in the first game to win it. Waterford senior Karisa Simonsen singled leading off the seventh. Fellow senior Courtney Ramczyk then roped a double to left. Waterford's Abbey Zortman then delivered a go-ahead bloop RBI single, to give the Wolverines a 5-4 lead. Waterford also got an RBI single from Delaney Kent and a two-run single by Haley Ellie.
"I think we competed in the first game," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "I thought Armstrong was very good in the first game. Her changeup and pace was better. The biggest difference was they hit the ball on the top better than we did late in the game."
Early on, it was a see-saw affair. The Wolverines jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on Alicia Barbian's two-run single to left center off Armstrong. The Cheesemakers rallied with a three-run third. Monroe senior Kaylee Craigo doubled down the right field line. Rebecca Flannery then reached on an error. Freshman Chandra McGuire, who was 3 for 4 in the first game, delivered an RBI double to left center. Senior Kelsey Erickson came through with a go-ahead two-run single to center to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived, 3-2 lead.
The Wolverines responded when sophomore Megan Jensen lined a two-run single to center in the fourth to give the Wolverines a 4-3 lead. McGuire helped the Cheesemakers answer in the bottom of the fourth when she lined a clutch two-out game-tying single to center to tie the game at 4.
"It was good because I got everything going and everyone was upbeat more," McGuire said.
The Cheesemakers had a golden scoring opportunity in the sixth after Craigo, who was 2 for 3, singled to right. Craigo was then picked off first.
The Cheesemakers didn't go quietly in the seventh. Monroe's Alyssa Montgomery, who was 2 for 3, doubled down the left field line. Freshman Ellie Grossen, who was 2 for 2, followed crushing an RBI double to center. Monroe finished the first game with 12 hits and four doubles.
Buvid said the Cheesemakers didn't set up the second game to win it, but rather to play everyone.
Just like the first game, the Wolverines jumped out to an early lead in the first. Waterford's Simonsen hit a chopper to Monroe third baseman Sarah Gempeler. Gempeler couldn't make a throw to first since no one was covering the bag. Waterford sophomore Alyssa Halwig then reached on an error. Ramczyk then followed with a two-run single to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead.
"We are a decent team, but we are not good enough to give quality teams four outs and win," Buvid said. "Giving teams extra outs has been a problem for us all year."
The Wolverines tacked on three runs in the second. Waterford senior Sara Terrian delivered an RBI single and Jensen had an RBI double. Jensen scored when the Cheesemakers overthrew home and that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead.
Waterford freshman Maddie Szalewski limited the Cheesemakers to just three hits in her six innings in the night cap. McArdle was 2 for 3 with a double and triple to lead the Cheesemakers in the second game.
The Cheesemakers scored their only run in the fourth. Erickson singled up the middle leading off the fourth. McArdle then doubled to center. Montgomery then knocked in a run on a groundout.
The Wolverines put the game away with a four-run fifth. Helwig doubled and Alicia Barbian singled. The Cheesemakers then committed their third error and allowed a run to score. Waterford sophomore Kelly Strasser then lined a two-run single to left to give the Wolverines a commanding 8-1 lead.
"They have a good hitting lineup up and down the order," McArdle said. "It's hard to pitch to them. You can't take anyone for granted."
