ARGYLE - Senior Jessica Treuthardt, after pitching a three-hit shutout to beat Highland 3-0 in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal, ran to jump onto a fire truck to take a victory lap with her teammates.
Argyle (20-6) is on the brink of qualifying for the state tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison. The Orioles will face eighth-ranked Ithaca in a sectional championship game Thursday in Ithaca.
"It's great. I can't even explain it," Treuthardt said. "Not a lot of people thought we could get here. We worked really hard to get here. We were just determined. It's exciting. We just have a great community to support and get behind us."
It's the first time Argyle has made a sectional final run since 1998 when Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert was a junior softball player.
"It's always amazing any time you make it to the sectional final," Ganshert said. "We have been playing good ball at this point in the season. I think it says a lot about our determination and perseverance."
The Orioles moved one step closer to state with a dominating performance early on against the Cardinals. The Orioles put the pressure on Highland starting pitcher Jessica Kosharek in the first inning. Kosharek got off to a rocky start. Argyle junior Jenna Langmeier reached on an error and Kosharek walked Argyle's Jessica Geissbuhler. Langmeier reached second on a wild pitch and stole third. She scored on a passed ball to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
Argyle senior Alysha Monahan then roped an RBI double to left and was thrown out at third base trying to stretch it to a triple.
"When we get running it fires up the team," Monahan said. "It fired me up and it was my turn to step up and help the team. It felt so good."
The Orioles added to their lead in the second. Argyle's Amber Dammen lined a single to center and freshman Kayla Butler-Paulson moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kosharek then walked Kari Fischer. Langmeier delivered a two-out, RBI single up the middle to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead.
That was all the run support Treuthardt would need. Treuthardt limited the Cardinals to just three hits and retired the first nine batters she faced. Treuthardt got ahead in the count and lived by throwing pitches inside against the Cardinals.
"We got scouting reports from several teams in Monticello and Potosi and they said they liked hitting outside pitches, but they were weaker hitting inside pitches," Treuthardt said. "That (throwing inside pitches) is my strength. I wanted to jam them inside. That is what I did and it worked."
The best scoring opportunity for the Cardinals came in the fourth, but Treuthardt pitched out of the jam. Highland's Halie Kosharek singled to break up Treuthardt's no-hit bid. After a strikeout, Treuthardt walked Jessica Kosharek. She got Kelly Ramsden to ground out and she got Bailee Rose to pop out to her on the mound to end the threat.
"We were just trying to keep them on their toes and not give them anything to hit," Ganshert said of Treuthardt's pitching plan to use a steady diet of inside pitches.
The Orioles turned in several stellar defensive plays to keep the Cardinals off the board. Geissbuhler tracked down a foul ball making a running catch in left field to end the second and Paulson made a running catch of a foul ball in the fifth.
"Our defense has been fantastic for her (Treuthardt) all year," Ganshert said. "They have come through in the tournament."
The Orioles finished with five hits. Geissbuhler went 1-for-1 with two walks. Langmeier went 1-for-3 with one RBI and Monahan went 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
"It honestly feels amazing," Monahan said. "We have worked so hard all season. I know we can do it if we bring it. I have high hopes for this team."
The Orioles are now preparing for Ithaca. Argyle already defeated fifth-ranked Monticello to win the regional title to get to the sectional. Playing another state ranked team doesn't phase the Orioles.
"I think it will be a good test for us," Treuthardt said. "We play our best against the best teams. I think it will be a fun game."
Argyle (20-6) is on the brink of qualifying for the state tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison. The Orioles will face eighth-ranked Ithaca in a sectional championship game Thursday in Ithaca.
"It's great. I can't even explain it," Treuthardt said. "Not a lot of people thought we could get here. We worked really hard to get here. We were just determined. It's exciting. We just have a great community to support and get behind us."
It's the first time Argyle has made a sectional final run since 1998 when Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert was a junior softball player.
"It's always amazing any time you make it to the sectional final," Ganshert said. "We have been playing good ball at this point in the season. I think it says a lot about our determination and perseverance."
The Orioles moved one step closer to state with a dominating performance early on against the Cardinals. The Orioles put the pressure on Highland starting pitcher Jessica Kosharek in the first inning. Kosharek got off to a rocky start. Argyle junior Jenna Langmeier reached on an error and Kosharek walked Argyle's Jessica Geissbuhler. Langmeier reached second on a wild pitch and stole third. She scored on a passed ball to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
Argyle senior Alysha Monahan then roped an RBI double to left and was thrown out at third base trying to stretch it to a triple.
"When we get running it fires up the team," Monahan said. "It fired me up and it was my turn to step up and help the team. It felt so good."
The Orioles added to their lead in the second. Argyle's Amber Dammen lined a single to center and freshman Kayla Butler-Paulson moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kosharek then walked Kari Fischer. Langmeier delivered a two-out, RBI single up the middle to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead.
That was all the run support Treuthardt would need. Treuthardt limited the Cardinals to just three hits and retired the first nine batters she faced. Treuthardt got ahead in the count and lived by throwing pitches inside against the Cardinals.
"We got scouting reports from several teams in Monticello and Potosi and they said they liked hitting outside pitches, but they were weaker hitting inside pitches," Treuthardt said. "That (throwing inside pitches) is my strength. I wanted to jam them inside. That is what I did and it worked."
The best scoring opportunity for the Cardinals came in the fourth, but Treuthardt pitched out of the jam. Highland's Halie Kosharek singled to break up Treuthardt's no-hit bid. After a strikeout, Treuthardt walked Jessica Kosharek. She got Kelly Ramsden to ground out and she got Bailee Rose to pop out to her on the mound to end the threat.
"We were just trying to keep them on their toes and not give them anything to hit," Ganshert said of Treuthardt's pitching plan to use a steady diet of inside pitches.
The Orioles turned in several stellar defensive plays to keep the Cardinals off the board. Geissbuhler tracked down a foul ball making a running catch in left field to end the second and Paulson made a running catch of a foul ball in the fifth.
"Our defense has been fantastic for her (Treuthardt) all year," Ganshert said. "They have come through in the tournament."
The Orioles finished with five hits. Geissbuhler went 1-for-1 with two walks. Langmeier went 1-for-3 with one RBI and Monahan went 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
"It honestly feels amazing," Monahan said. "We have worked so hard all season. I know we can do it if we bring it. I have high hopes for this team."
The Orioles are now preparing for Ithaca. Argyle already defeated fifth-ranked Monticello to win the regional title to get to the sectional. Playing another state ranked team doesn't phase the Orioles.
"I think it will be a good test for us," Treuthardt said. "We play our best against the best teams. I think it will be a fun game."
