MONROE - Kevin Klopfenstein spent the majority of the Monroe baseball team's season batting leadoff and playing center field.
On Tuesday, the junior played shortstop and batted in the No. 3 spot.
"Try something new and see if it works," Klopfenstein quipped.
It worked pretty well for Klopfenstein, who had run-producing hits in his first two at-bats to help stake the Cheesemakers to the lead in an eventual 10-6 loss to Stoughton in the regular-season finale.
Klopfenstein finished 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs. He also handled all four of his defensive plays flawlessly.
The lineup shuffle came about because the regular shortstop, junior Mitch Riese, tweaked his shoulder making a throw Saturday against Orfordville Parkview. Several other players started in unfamiliar positions against Stoughton.
"When you're 2-21 you can do that, maybe you find something," said Monroe coach Dustin Huffman, whose team closed the regular season with 17 straight losses. "For example, Kevin. We threw him out at short and he looked great. That might be something we look at for next year, for sure. It's nice to move kids around because sometimes they get locked into a spot."
Klopfenstein had a two-run double in the first and a two-run single in the second for Monroe (2-22, 1-11 Badger South). Riese, who played first base, junior Alex Einbeck and Klopfenstein each scored runs in both the first and second innings as the Cheesemakers took a 6-5 lead.
Klopfenstein blistered both hits down the left field line.
"I've been hitting it down the line quite a bit more," Klopfenstein said. "I've been seeing the ball better."
Einbeck had a big day as well, finishing 3-for-3 with three singles and reaching on an error in his other plate appearance. Einbeck stole home in the second as part of a double steal and freshman Chase Hellenbrand followed with an RBI single to give Monroe the one-run lead.
"Alex is starting to learn what a correct approach is at the plate," Huffman said. "He's starting to not get so angry at himself for watching one go down the middle. He seems more comfortable and he's been doing what we want him to do as a No. 2 hitter - make contact and when we need him to get a bunt down, he gets it down."
Monroe did much of its damage against Stoughton starter Tony Volk. The Cheesemakers did very little against reliever Adam Flynn, who entered with two outs in the second inning and allowed only three hits while striking out eight.
As has often been the case this season, Monroe's defense proved pivotal in the loss. The Vikings (9-12, 8-4 Badger South) used three hits and two Cheesemakers errors to put together a four-run fifth inning for a 9-6 lead.
"We're starting to play a little bit better ball, but we always have one bad inning," Klopfenstein said. "I thought we were going to win, but then one bad inning."
Monroe's best opportunity against Flynn came in the sixth, when Riese was hit by a pitch and Einbeck singled to put two runners on with nobody out. But Flynn got Klopfenstein to pop out, then recorded two strikeouts to end the threat.
Monroe junior Cody Pivonka started and pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing five runs. Junior Trent Wyssbrod pitched two scoreless innings of relief before falling victim to the shoddy defense in the fifth inning and took the loss. Junior Dusty Burkhalter finished, allowing one run over two innings.
"We pitched well, we hit the ball well, the base-running was fine," Huffman said. "It just came down to three or four plays again that we should have made and we didn't."
Monroe will play at Beloit Turner on Friday in a Division 2 regional opener. The Trojans defeated the Cheesemakers 4-3 on May 14 in Monroe.
On Tuesday, the junior played shortstop and batted in the No. 3 spot.
"Try something new and see if it works," Klopfenstein quipped.
It worked pretty well for Klopfenstein, who had run-producing hits in his first two at-bats to help stake the Cheesemakers to the lead in an eventual 10-6 loss to Stoughton in the regular-season finale.
Klopfenstein finished 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs. He also handled all four of his defensive plays flawlessly.
The lineup shuffle came about because the regular shortstop, junior Mitch Riese, tweaked his shoulder making a throw Saturday against Orfordville Parkview. Several other players started in unfamiliar positions against Stoughton.
"When you're 2-21 you can do that, maybe you find something," said Monroe coach Dustin Huffman, whose team closed the regular season with 17 straight losses. "For example, Kevin. We threw him out at short and he looked great. That might be something we look at for next year, for sure. It's nice to move kids around because sometimes they get locked into a spot."
Klopfenstein had a two-run double in the first and a two-run single in the second for Monroe (2-22, 1-11 Badger South). Riese, who played first base, junior Alex Einbeck and Klopfenstein each scored runs in both the first and second innings as the Cheesemakers took a 6-5 lead.
Klopfenstein blistered both hits down the left field line.
"I've been hitting it down the line quite a bit more," Klopfenstein said. "I've been seeing the ball better."
Einbeck had a big day as well, finishing 3-for-3 with three singles and reaching on an error in his other plate appearance. Einbeck stole home in the second as part of a double steal and freshman Chase Hellenbrand followed with an RBI single to give Monroe the one-run lead.
"Alex is starting to learn what a correct approach is at the plate," Huffman said. "He's starting to not get so angry at himself for watching one go down the middle. He seems more comfortable and he's been doing what we want him to do as a No. 2 hitter - make contact and when we need him to get a bunt down, he gets it down."
Monroe did much of its damage against Stoughton starter Tony Volk. The Cheesemakers did very little against reliever Adam Flynn, who entered with two outs in the second inning and allowed only three hits while striking out eight.
As has often been the case this season, Monroe's defense proved pivotal in the loss. The Vikings (9-12, 8-4 Badger South) used three hits and two Cheesemakers errors to put together a four-run fifth inning for a 9-6 lead.
"We're starting to play a little bit better ball, but we always have one bad inning," Klopfenstein said. "I thought we were going to win, but then one bad inning."
Monroe's best opportunity against Flynn came in the sixth, when Riese was hit by a pitch and Einbeck singled to put two runners on with nobody out. But Flynn got Klopfenstein to pop out, then recorded two strikeouts to end the threat.
Monroe junior Cody Pivonka started and pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing five runs. Junior Trent Wyssbrod pitched two scoreless innings of relief before falling victim to the shoddy defense in the fifth inning and took the loss. Junior Dusty Burkhalter finished, allowing one run over two innings.
"We pitched well, we hit the ball well, the base-running was fine," Huffman said. "It just came down to three or four plays again that we should have made and we didn't."
Monroe will play at Beloit Turner on Friday in a Division 2 regional opener. The Trojans defeated the Cheesemakers 4-3 on May 14 in Monroe.
