MONROE – The champions don’t want to give up their crown.
Ida, which won the Monroe County Fair Softball Tournament last summer, opened its defense of its title in impressive fashion on Sunday, July 12.
Coach Travis Lusky’s team logged a pair of victories on opening day, cruising past Whiteford 12-2 and Mason 15-0.
“We have both of our pitches back,” Lusky said. “If we throw strikes, we are going to be tough to beat.”
That strong pitching is backed by an impressive collection of 12 and under players.
“We’re still a young team,” Lusky said. “Half of our girls can play again next year.”
The tournament continues Monday on the Fairgrounds Diamond of S. Raisinville Rd. with two elimination games.
Dundee will play Mason at 4 p.m. followed by Monroe vs. Whiteford at 6.
Monroe 16, Dundee 4
Ellie Medley went 2-for-2 with a walk and scored three times to lead Monroe.
Ellie Jondro doubled and singled and Aubrey Steffy also collected two hits for the winners.
Dundee scored in the opening inning on singles by Madi Plumb and Olivia Widner and Ady doubled and scored in the third.
Ida 12, Whiteford 2
Ella Derian and Logan Everett, the top two hitters in the Ida lineup, scored four times each.
Everett had three hits and Derian two. Each had a triple.
Sadie Lusky added a pair of hits and Anna Petoskey scored twice.
Emma Houghtaling homered to produce Whiteford’s two runs.
Mason 11, Frenchtown 10
Brooklyn Kluczynski delivered a bases loaded single in the final inning to deliver the tying and winning runs.
Hits by Maddison King, Ava Nehrig and Callie Wilder keyed a seven-run third inning.
Nehring went 2-for-2 with a walk.
Sophie Lynch had two hits for Frenchtown.
South Rockwood 11, Monroe 1
Violet Linzell ripped a triple in the opening inning and drove in five runs to lead South Rockwood.
Bryn Evans plated a pair of runs with a triple and Sopha Piepsney homered for the winners. Charleigh Mullins scored three times and Maggie Jones and Sophia Piepsney pitched well.
Ellie Jondro singled home Izabella Walsh for Monroe’s run.
Ida 15, Mason 0
Derian and Everett again led Ida, each going 2-for-2 with a walk and scoring all three times each.
Sadie Lusky homered and scored twice.
Ida pitchers didn’t give up a hit and allowed just one baserunner.
Whiteford 20, Frenchtown 6
Ava Ovall and Isabella Hutchinson each went 3-for-3 and homered for Whiteford.
Emma Houghtaling and Brynn Ovall added two hits each.
Mae Shaw collected two hits and Zoey Wood scored twice for Frenchtown.
FAIR SOFTBALL
RESULTS-SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 12
Monroe 16, Dundee 4
Ida 12, Whiteford 2
Mason 11, Frenchtown 10
South Rockwood 11, Monroe 1
Ida 15, Mason 0
Frenchtown 20, Whiteford 6
Monday, July 13
Dundee vs. Mason, 4 p.m.
Monroe vs. Whiteford, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14
South Rockwood vs. Ida, 4 p.m.
Dundee-Mason winner vs. Monroe-Whiteford winner, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15
South Rockwood vs. Ida in winners’ bracket finals, 4 p.m.
ROSTERS
DUNDEE
Players: Cori Crawford, Abby Gillespie, Liv Gillespie, Peyton Green, Mollie King, Kendra Pesta, Ady Laney, Korrina Lehr, Max Sindone, Olivia Widner, Willow Bezdziecki, Madi Plumb, Evelyn Pickell, Sayler Stasko.
Coaches: Sarah Bezdziecki, Nick Hieserman.
FRENCHTOWN
Players: Kloe Johnson, Kennedy Christopher, Maddison Evans, Camryn Kay, Zoey Wood, Alivia McClure, Vaughn Moss, Aviara Murray, Mae Shaw, Sophie Lynch, Isavella Martin, Miranda Boggs.
Coaches: Jeffery Johnson, Kayla Martin, Jeff Martin.
IDA
Players: Logan Everett, Audrey Walentowski, Hosanna McMonagle, Madalyn VanDaele, Evelyn Daniel, Sadie Lusky, Palmer Albring, Quinn Parker, Ella Derian Elsie Burhart, Anna Petoskey.
Coaches; Travis Lusky, Chris Derian, Jason Parker, Adam Burhart.
MASON
Players: Brooklyn Kluczynski, Olivia Kluczynski, Maddison King, Mya King, Callie Wilder, Ava Nehrig, Parker Brighton, Rylie Liford, Ruthie Liford, Salina Becerra, Hailey Duvall, Harper McManaway, Natalie Miller, Ava Desloover.
Coaches: Kayla King, Robert Oberhaus.
MONROE
Players: Hanna Kaczor, Scarlett Egan, Gianna Roberts, Aubrey Steffy, Mayseh Kuchna, Izabella Walsh, Jennifer Morris, Ellie Medley, Nora Cusumano, Elle Jondro, Lily Vallade, Oakley Redli, Auleyah Simon-Cheatham, Mia Medina-Hernandez.
Coaches: Derek Kaczor, Jim Vallade, Steve Favreau, Megan Volker, Alana Aulph.
SOUTH ROCKWOOD
Players: Charleigh Mullins, Violet Linzell, Olvia Jones, Bryn Evans, Maggie Jones, Blakeslee McGaha, Daisy Gratowski, Estelle Teets, Elliot Duffy, Ariana Malcho, Natalie Calzadillas, Stella Omler, Sophia Piepsney, Piper Cadogan.
Coaches: Steve Drummond, Jim Martin, Phil Piepsney, RaeAnn Drummond.
WHITEFORD
Players: Emma Houghtaling, Hailey Houghtaling, Jenna Houghtaling, Tenley Bankowski, Kennedy McCullough, Adalynn Henry, Mariah Lucht, Addyson Wenzel, Brynn Ovall, Isabella Hutchinson, Ella Ovall, Josie Fischer, Kenzleigh Williams, Sienna Smith, Ava Ovall.
Coaches: John Houghtaling, Jed Bunge, Jason Lucht, Ashleigh Barron, Alison Houghtaling.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Defending champions off to fast start in Fair Softball Tournament
