MONROE - Leadoff hitter Paisley Bennett understands what her job is every game.
Her mission is getting on base, putting pressure on the opposing pitcher and being a catalyst for the Cheesemakers' offense. As a senior, Bennett was perfect in setting the table in Monroe's 15-5 win over Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Tuesday.
The Cheesemakers pounded out 14 hits and had five players with multi-hit games led by Bennett who reached base all five times she batted (2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored).
"If you get your leadoff hitter on, you are more likely to score more runs," Bennett said. "It lifts the team up. Going in it's senior year and it's good to keep going and not ending it here."
The other players with multi-hit games included, senior Gwen Sutter (2-for-3 with three RBIs), junior Kelsey Erickson (2-for-3 with two runs scored), senior Abby Kennison (2-for-3 with two RBIs) and senior Brandi Trewartha (2-for-5).
Sutter drove in the game-clinching run on a single to put the finishing touches on the Vikings in six innings.
"It felt good to hit the ball finally," Sutter said. "We knew everybody was ready to end this game."
Monroe (10-15) now will play for a WIAA Division 2 regional championship at River Valley Thursday with a sectional berth at stake.
"It means a lot to still be going," Sutter said. "We are excited to play River Valley. We hope to bring the same kind of game we played last year."
Mount Horeb jumped out to an early lead off Monroe freshman pitcher Becca Armstrong in the first. Mount Horeb's Nicole Kalscheur tripled to right to lead off the first. Armstrong then walked Emily Zweifel. Ashley Cushman drove in a run when she bunted for a single. Armstrong came off the mound, but slipped and Cushman beat out the infield hit and helped the Vikings take a 2-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers answered when Bennett singled in the bottom of the first. Trewartha then delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Bennett to cut the Vikings' lead to 2-1.
The Cheesemakers tied the game in the second. Senior Kendell Niffenegger singled and she scored the game-tying run on Erickson's RBI single up the middle.
Monroe broke the game open with a nine-run third. Trewartha reached on an error leading off the third. Sutter was hit by a pitch and Kennison reached on an error and the Cheesemakers scored the go-ahead run with an overthrow at first. Monroe junior Kaylee Craigo then lined a two-run single to center to give the Cheesemakers a 5-2 lead. Bethany Meier then crushed an RBI triple to center.
"Kaylee Craigo comes off the bench and seems to get big hits," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "I thought that opened up the floodgates and got us going."
The Vikings brought in a relief pitcher who walked Niffenegger and Bennett to load the bases. She then walked in a run. Junior Kristin McArdle then came through with a two-run single that gave the Cheesemakers a 9-2 lead. The Cheesemakers sent 10 batters to the plate before the Vikings recorded an out. Sutter drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Kennison had an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers an 11-2 lead.
The Vikings rallied for three runs in the fifth off Armstrong that included a two-run single by Terah Haag. Armstrong pitched six innings and gave up two earned runs on five hits. She struck out four and walked nine.
"We wanted her to compete and battle through that," Buvid said of the walks and jams she had to overcome. "Everyone knows the game revolves around pitching. Until she totally ran out of gas, we were going to go with her and get her used to situations. If we would have went to the seventh, I would have went to Kristin (McArdle)."
Her mission is getting on base, putting pressure on the opposing pitcher and being a catalyst for the Cheesemakers' offense. As a senior, Bennett was perfect in setting the table in Monroe's 15-5 win over Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Tuesday.
The Cheesemakers pounded out 14 hits and had five players with multi-hit games led by Bennett who reached base all five times she batted (2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored).
"If you get your leadoff hitter on, you are more likely to score more runs," Bennett said. "It lifts the team up. Going in it's senior year and it's good to keep going and not ending it here."
The other players with multi-hit games included, senior Gwen Sutter (2-for-3 with three RBIs), junior Kelsey Erickson (2-for-3 with two runs scored), senior Abby Kennison (2-for-3 with two RBIs) and senior Brandi Trewartha (2-for-5).
Sutter drove in the game-clinching run on a single to put the finishing touches on the Vikings in six innings.
"It felt good to hit the ball finally," Sutter said. "We knew everybody was ready to end this game."
Monroe (10-15) now will play for a WIAA Division 2 regional championship at River Valley Thursday with a sectional berth at stake.
"It means a lot to still be going," Sutter said. "We are excited to play River Valley. We hope to bring the same kind of game we played last year."
Mount Horeb jumped out to an early lead off Monroe freshman pitcher Becca Armstrong in the first. Mount Horeb's Nicole Kalscheur tripled to right to lead off the first. Armstrong then walked Emily Zweifel. Ashley Cushman drove in a run when she bunted for a single. Armstrong came off the mound, but slipped and Cushman beat out the infield hit and helped the Vikings take a 2-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers answered when Bennett singled in the bottom of the first. Trewartha then delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Bennett to cut the Vikings' lead to 2-1.
The Cheesemakers tied the game in the second. Senior Kendell Niffenegger singled and she scored the game-tying run on Erickson's RBI single up the middle.
Monroe broke the game open with a nine-run third. Trewartha reached on an error leading off the third. Sutter was hit by a pitch and Kennison reached on an error and the Cheesemakers scored the go-ahead run with an overthrow at first. Monroe junior Kaylee Craigo then lined a two-run single to center to give the Cheesemakers a 5-2 lead. Bethany Meier then crushed an RBI triple to center.
"Kaylee Craigo comes off the bench and seems to get big hits," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "I thought that opened up the floodgates and got us going."
The Vikings brought in a relief pitcher who walked Niffenegger and Bennett to load the bases. She then walked in a run. Junior Kristin McArdle then came through with a two-run single that gave the Cheesemakers a 9-2 lead. The Cheesemakers sent 10 batters to the plate before the Vikings recorded an out. Sutter drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Kennison had an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers an 11-2 lead.
The Vikings rallied for three runs in the fifth off Armstrong that included a two-run single by Terah Haag. Armstrong pitched six innings and gave up two earned runs on five hits. She struck out four and walked nine.
"We wanted her to compete and battle through that," Buvid said of the walks and jams she had to overcome. "Everyone knows the game revolves around pitching. Until she totally ran out of gas, we were going to go with her and get her used to situations. If we would have went to the seventh, I would have went to Kristin (McArdle)."
