MONROE - Seniors Natalie Dillon and Hannah Vetterli have been battery mates as pitcher and catcher for eight years.
The relationship clicked early on. And it just works.
"Not only does it help to have her (Vetterli) as a friend outside of softball, but she knows me and how I like to pitch," said Dillon, who will play softball at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh next year. "We know each others ins-and-outs. She knows what to call when."
Dillon and Vetterli are two main reasons that Monroe (18-8) received a No. 4 seed and will host Whitewater in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Twining Park. The duo is one of the best batteries (pitcher-catcher combinations) in the Badger South Conference.
Dillon has racked up a 16-5 mark as a pitcher. She's averaging one strikeout per inning and has a 2.70 ERA. Vetterli is hitting .365, but she is calling 50 percent or more of Dillon's pitches in games and has thrown out 55.5 percent (5 of 9) of the runners trying to steal a base on her this season. She went 24 straight games before committing an error in a doubleheader against Waupun on Friday.
When Dillon gets into a jam, Vetterli often will go out to the mound for a meeting.
"I talk to her and try to calm her down," Vetterli said. "I try to joke with her and get her to smile. I might dance behind the plate."
Dillon relies on Vetterli in every pitching performance. Dillon trusts she can throw a pitch in any count.
"Having her as a catcher helps boost my confidence," Dillon said. "Having been together for so long you build a rapport. I know if a ball gets away she will get it."
Monroe coach Dale Buvid said Vetterli has called well over 50 percent of Dillon's pitches this season, more than any catcher has called in the past.
"Hannah is very skilled and understands the game," Buvid said. "Part of it is she gets a better look at pitches than I do. I can tell if they are up or down, but she can tell better if they are inside or outside. She has been working with Natalie for so long."
When Buvid allowed Vetterli to call most of the pitches from behind the plate this year, the senior catcher welcomed the challenge and more responsibility.
"I felt honored," Vetterli said. "Last year when Buvid would call pitches in my head I was thinking that was the pitch I was going to call."
With a fastball, rise ball and changeup, Dillon has the repertoire to get hitters out with multiple pitches.
"She (Dillon) has a good variety of pitches," Vetterli said. "She's a lot stronger out there mentally and physically. I usually have a good idea after warm-ups which pitch is working well."
Buvid said teams have not run against Vetterli much this year.
"She (Vetterli) has an excellent arm," Buvid said. "She has got rid of the ball a lot quicker. She has always been a good defensive player, but she has really improved offensively every year."
Vetterli credits her success throwing out base-stealers to her work during practice.
"Buvid always has us work a fair amount on our throwing in practice," she said. "When it comes time in a game to throw down it's almost a force of habit. I know I can do it."
Dillon doesn't want her softball tournament run to end before it has to. She hopes to pitch and hit her way to state.
"It hasn't quite hit me yet," Dillon said of this being her final postseason tournament. "On Senior Night, I realized this would be my last year. I really want to take advantage of every moment.
"We have worked so hard and you don't want it to end."
The relationship clicked early on. And it just works.
"Not only does it help to have her (Vetterli) as a friend outside of softball, but she knows me and how I like to pitch," said Dillon, who will play softball at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh next year. "We know each others ins-and-outs. She knows what to call when."
Dillon and Vetterli are two main reasons that Monroe (18-8) received a No. 4 seed and will host Whitewater in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Twining Park. The duo is one of the best batteries (pitcher-catcher combinations) in the Badger South Conference.
Dillon has racked up a 16-5 mark as a pitcher. She's averaging one strikeout per inning and has a 2.70 ERA. Vetterli is hitting .365, but she is calling 50 percent or more of Dillon's pitches in games and has thrown out 55.5 percent (5 of 9) of the runners trying to steal a base on her this season. She went 24 straight games before committing an error in a doubleheader against Waupun on Friday.
When Dillon gets into a jam, Vetterli often will go out to the mound for a meeting.
"I talk to her and try to calm her down," Vetterli said. "I try to joke with her and get her to smile. I might dance behind the plate."
Dillon relies on Vetterli in every pitching performance. Dillon trusts she can throw a pitch in any count.
"Having her as a catcher helps boost my confidence," Dillon said. "Having been together for so long you build a rapport. I know if a ball gets away she will get it."
Monroe coach Dale Buvid said Vetterli has called well over 50 percent of Dillon's pitches this season, more than any catcher has called in the past.
"Hannah is very skilled and understands the game," Buvid said. "Part of it is she gets a better look at pitches than I do. I can tell if they are up or down, but she can tell better if they are inside or outside. She has been working with Natalie for so long."
When Buvid allowed Vetterli to call most of the pitches from behind the plate this year, the senior catcher welcomed the challenge and more responsibility.
"I felt honored," Vetterli said. "Last year when Buvid would call pitches in my head I was thinking that was the pitch I was going to call."
With a fastball, rise ball and changeup, Dillon has the repertoire to get hitters out with multiple pitches.
"She (Dillon) has a good variety of pitches," Vetterli said. "She's a lot stronger out there mentally and physically. I usually have a good idea after warm-ups which pitch is working well."
Buvid said teams have not run against Vetterli much this year.
"She (Vetterli) has an excellent arm," Buvid said. "She has got rid of the ball a lot quicker. She has always been a good defensive player, but she has really improved offensively every year."
Vetterli credits her success throwing out base-stealers to her work during practice.
"Buvid always has us work a fair amount on our throwing in practice," she said. "When it comes time in a game to throw down it's almost a force of habit. I know I can do it."
Dillon doesn't want her softball tournament run to end before it has to. She hopes to pitch and hit her way to state.
"It hasn't quite hit me yet," Dillon said of this being her final postseason tournament. "On Senior Night, I realized this would be my last year. I really want to take advantage of every moment.
"We have worked so hard and you don't want it to end."
