EVANSVILLE - After a one-year hiatus, the Monroe softball team is back to where the program has become used to reaching - state. The Cheesemakers knocked off top-seeded Edgerton 9-2 on Friday to qualify for the WIAA Division 2 state tournament for the fifth time in nine years.
"It's very satisfying," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "For not just our seniors, but for the whole program. We have a lot of kids that have put in a lot of work over a lot of years. And a lot of dads, too, have put in the time with traveling teams years ago. It's just a great thing for Monroe softball."
A year ago as a freshman, pitcher Becca Armstrong had an off day and Monroe unraveled against Fort Atkinson in the sectional final on the same field at Evansville High School. On Friday, Armstrong's experience, plus the solid play of the offense, defense, and maybe a superstition reversed the outcome.
Buvid said that after last year's loss from the first-base dugout, he wanted to grab the third-base one just in case.
"Our plan was to leave a little bit early so we could get the dugout. It was discussed. It did work out," Buvid joked. "I'm not overly superstitious, but we do think about those things. (The game) was actually kind of a reversal from last year."
Armstrong was shaky early on, throwing more than 20 pitches in the first inning while allowing a run. However, she struck out five batters in the first two innings and settled down quickly.
"Last year was such a hard game that we knew coming in we had to bring our best. It was the little things that really mattered," said Armstrong, who had a hefty week. The righty pitched a 12-inning game in the sectional semifinal on Tuesday, got her driver's license on her birthday Wednesday and later that day attended a Taylor Swift concert.
"(This week) has been really emotional, but I couldn't have asked for a better week," Armstrong said.
"Becca's toughness was on display today. Last year she got a little roughed up, but she got it done today. She made the pitches when she had to," Buvid said.
The offense got it going right away, courtesy of freshman Ellie Grossen, a lefty who hits in the 2-hole. Grossen sent a deep fly to left in the top of the first and slid in safely for a one-out triple. Moments later on a dropped third strike on a strikeout by Kelsey Erickson, Grossen raced home to give Monroe a quick 1-0 lead.
"Ellie got us going in that first inning. Sometimes getting that first hit - and run - is huge," Buvid said. "We didn't have a first-team all-conference player on our team. To get to state without a first-team all-conference player, that says something about our kids and the talent level from top to bottom."
Grossen has risen to the occasion as the year has pressed on and found herself with two hits in what was the biggest game of her life.
"It felt really awesome to do something for my pitcher," Grossen said. "I was pretty nervous at first, but as the game kept going, it just kept getting better and better and I knew we had something going."
Monroe broke the tie with a 4-run fourth inning, sparked by small ball and smart baserunning.
Erickson led off the inning by reaching on an error and Alyssa Montgomery was later hit in the helmet by a pitch. With one out and runners on second and third, sophomore Kasey Gutzmer hit a sacrifice bunt and Edgerton pitcher Tia Cleveland faked a throw to first and caught Erickson in a rundown. However, Erickson took advantage of a high throw home and slid head-first safely to make it a 2-1 game.
Kaylee Craigo then hit a run-scoring groundout to third and Sarah Kloepping and Heather Barta had back-to-back RBI singles to make it 5-1.
"It was a little stressful because I knew I had to hit and be safe at first," said Kloepping, a senior. "I was really excited. It was a big hit for me, because I haven't hit very well all season."
"I think (Erickson's slide) was the turning point. And then you have a bunt and Sarah Kloepping's big hit. Here's a girl hitting under .100, but we've played with her all year. To come through like that, I'm really proud," Buvid said. "We had a lot of contributions from a lot of places."
In the fifth, the Cheesemakers added four more runs, chasing Cleveland for Carlie Schmeling. In that frame Montgomery and pinch hitter Tasha Frie had a bases-loaded walks, and senior reserve Rebecca Flannery hit a pinch-hit 2-RBI single on a laser beam past first base.
"I just try to help my team and do as much as I can when I can - whether it's running, or hitting or bunting - I just want to help us win," Flannery said. "As a senior it feels great to be a part of this and be able to say that I helped us go to state."
But as the game unfolded, out by out, the Cheesemakers knew what fate was headed their way.
Edgerton (22-2) scored one run in the bottom of the seventh to cap the scoring, but Monroe (16-10) was in no real threat as Erickson, a senior shortstop, made play after play down the stretch to end it.
"I knew I had to calm myself. I kept saying to myself, 'OK, now we need two more outs. Now we need one more out.' I was freaking out, but you just have to make sure you calm yourself," Erickson said. "I can't really describe it all right now. It's overwhelming. I'm just so happy. This was our goal the entire year. It's a perfect way to end your senior year."
"It's a feeling like no other. To finally have it happen, it just kind of seems surreal," Flannery said.
Erickson, Kristin McArdle, Kendra Clark and Craigo were all sophomores on the state-runner up team from two years ago. Luxemburg-Casco won that tournament, as well as the 2010 field, but has since been knocked off. This time Monroe will face off against undefeated Baldwin-Woodville (24-0), who beat second-ranked Rice Lake 3-0. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 16 at Goodman Diamond on the UW campus in Madison. Top-ranked Union Grove (24-4) and Oconto Falls (17-4) also reached the state tournament and will play immediately following Monroe's game.
"We can do anything. We play tough teams to simulate games like this, and now we're headed to state," Armstrong said.
"It's very satisfying," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "For not just our seniors, but for the whole program. We have a lot of kids that have put in a lot of work over a lot of years. And a lot of dads, too, have put in the time with traveling teams years ago. It's just a great thing for Monroe softball."
A year ago as a freshman, pitcher Becca Armstrong had an off day and Monroe unraveled against Fort Atkinson in the sectional final on the same field at Evansville High School. On Friday, Armstrong's experience, plus the solid play of the offense, defense, and maybe a superstition reversed the outcome.
Buvid said that after last year's loss from the first-base dugout, he wanted to grab the third-base one just in case.
"Our plan was to leave a little bit early so we could get the dugout. It was discussed. It did work out," Buvid joked. "I'm not overly superstitious, but we do think about those things. (The game) was actually kind of a reversal from last year."
Armstrong was shaky early on, throwing more than 20 pitches in the first inning while allowing a run. However, she struck out five batters in the first two innings and settled down quickly.
"Last year was such a hard game that we knew coming in we had to bring our best. It was the little things that really mattered," said Armstrong, who had a hefty week. The righty pitched a 12-inning game in the sectional semifinal on Tuesday, got her driver's license on her birthday Wednesday and later that day attended a Taylor Swift concert.
"(This week) has been really emotional, but I couldn't have asked for a better week," Armstrong said.
"Becca's toughness was on display today. Last year she got a little roughed up, but she got it done today. She made the pitches when she had to," Buvid said.
The offense got it going right away, courtesy of freshman Ellie Grossen, a lefty who hits in the 2-hole. Grossen sent a deep fly to left in the top of the first and slid in safely for a one-out triple. Moments later on a dropped third strike on a strikeout by Kelsey Erickson, Grossen raced home to give Monroe a quick 1-0 lead.
"Ellie got us going in that first inning. Sometimes getting that first hit - and run - is huge," Buvid said. "We didn't have a first-team all-conference player on our team. To get to state without a first-team all-conference player, that says something about our kids and the talent level from top to bottom."
Grossen has risen to the occasion as the year has pressed on and found herself with two hits in what was the biggest game of her life.
"It felt really awesome to do something for my pitcher," Grossen said. "I was pretty nervous at first, but as the game kept going, it just kept getting better and better and I knew we had something going."
Monroe broke the tie with a 4-run fourth inning, sparked by small ball and smart baserunning.
Erickson led off the inning by reaching on an error and Alyssa Montgomery was later hit in the helmet by a pitch. With one out and runners on second and third, sophomore Kasey Gutzmer hit a sacrifice bunt and Edgerton pitcher Tia Cleveland faked a throw to first and caught Erickson in a rundown. However, Erickson took advantage of a high throw home and slid head-first safely to make it a 2-1 game.
Kaylee Craigo then hit a run-scoring groundout to third and Sarah Kloepping and Heather Barta had back-to-back RBI singles to make it 5-1.
"It was a little stressful because I knew I had to hit and be safe at first," said Kloepping, a senior. "I was really excited. It was a big hit for me, because I haven't hit very well all season."
"I think (Erickson's slide) was the turning point. And then you have a bunt and Sarah Kloepping's big hit. Here's a girl hitting under .100, but we've played with her all year. To come through like that, I'm really proud," Buvid said. "We had a lot of contributions from a lot of places."
In the fifth, the Cheesemakers added four more runs, chasing Cleveland for Carlie Schmeling. In that frame Montgomery and pinch hitter Tasha Frie had a bases-loaded walks, and senior reserve Rebecca Flannery hit a pinch-hit 2-RBI single on a laser beam past first base.
"I just try to help my team and do as much as I can when I can - whether it's running, or hitting or bunting - I just want to help us win," Flannery said. "As a senior it feels great to be a part of this and be able to say that I helped us go to state."
But as the game unfolded, out by out, the Cheesemakers knew what fate was headed their way.
Edgerton (22-2) scored one run in the bottom of the seventh to cap the scoring, but Monroe (16-10) was in no real threat as Erickson, a senior shortstop, made play after play down the stretch to end it.
"I knew I had to calm myself. I kept saying to myself, 'OK, now we need two more outs. Now we need one more out.' I was freaking out, but you just have to make sure you calm yourself," Erickson said. "I can't really describe it all right now. It's overwhelming. I'm just so happy. This was our goal the entire year. It's a perfect way to end your senior year."
"It's a feeling like no other. To finally have it happen, it just kind of seems surreal," Flannery said.
Erickson, Kristin McArdle, Kendra Clark and Craigo were all sophomores on the state-runner up team from two years ago. Luxemburg-Casco won that tournament, as well as the 2010 field, but has since been knocked off. This time Monroe will face off against undefeated Baldwin-Woodville (24-0), who beat second-ranked Rice Lake 3-0. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 16 at Goodman Diamond on the UW campus in Madison. Top-ranked Union Grove (24-4) and Oconto Falls (17-4) also reached the state tournament and will play immediately following Monroe's game.
"We can do anything. We play tough teams to simulate games like this, and now we're headed to state," Armstrong said.
