MONROE - Senior shortstop Brooke Adams and the Monroe High School softball team didn't have any worries when trailing by two runs with small rumblings of thunder in the distance early in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal against Evansville on Wednesday.
Adams' confidence wasn't shaken and with good reason. Monroe batted around the order in six-run third and fifth innings to roll to a 12-2 five-inning win over Evansville at Twining Park.
"I don't think any of us had any doubts," said Adams of the Cheesemakers' 2-0 deficit. "We all knew if we play as a team we know what we can do. We know it's do or die now. We executed and that is what matters."
Adams went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a walk to lead the Cheesemakers' 12-hit attack against Evansville junior pitcher Kelsee Cashore who was tagged for eight earned runs. The Blue Devils committed four errors to help the Cheesemakers' cause.
"I feel like we have been working really hard in practice, and it's starting to show up in games when it matters," Adams said.
Monroe (20-8) advances to play at Delavan-Darien in a Division 2 regional championship game at 4:45 p.m. Friday.
Evansville (18-6) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on senior Kyla Litsheim's RBI double and Cashore's RBI single in the top of the third inning. It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to answer.
Monroe senior Kaya Teasdale singled up the middle to start the rally in the bottom of the third. Senior Natalie Dillon walked and Adams followed with an RBI single to right. With one out, senior Hannah Vetterli bunted and reached on a fielder's choice when Litscheim's throw to third base was cut off and bounced away, allowing Dillon to score to tie the game at 2. Monroe junior Lexi Hilliard then crushed a two-run double to center. Senior Cassidy Pivonka reached on an error and Hilliard scored to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 5-2. Sophomore Alysha Witt, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, delivered an RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers an insurmountable 6-2 lead.
The Cheesemakers hit a blistering .421 with runners in scoring position, going 8-for-19. Hilliard went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
"Kudos to Kaya Teasdale and Hilliard for getting those hits in the third inning to wrestle back the momentum," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "Once you get the first couple of hits everyone is a lot more relaxed."
One day after tossing a perfect game against Whitewater, Dillon pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up just two runs on five hits. Dillon struck out six and didn't issue a walk.
The Cheesemakers' defense turned in a solid performance. Vetterli picked Cashore off at second base in the first. Hilliard made a diving catch in the fifth with two runners on to end a Blue Devils' threat.
"I knew it was a play we needed to have," Hilliard said. "I was a little nervous. I have made plays like that before, and I just had to do it and I did it."
"If that lands it probably would have scored two runs," Buvid said of Hilliard's diving catch. "It could have been a 6-4 game easily."
Hilliard played some as a designated player earlier in the season. She has found a home in the Cheesemakers' lineup and is now batting sixth.
"She hit herself into the lineup," Buvid said. "She's a quiet hard-working kid who has really helped us."
The floodgates opened again in the fifth. Senior Kylea Ambrose, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI, singled up the middle. Hilliard followed lining a single to left. Witt then came through with an RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers a 7-2 lead. Teasdale drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Dillon reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Adams then lined a two-out RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers a 10-2 lead. The Cheesemakers had four straight hits and scored three runs after two outs. Junior Carly Upmann had an RBI single to right and Ambrose ended the game with an RBI single.
"Our top four hitters have been good all year," Buvid said. "What has made us better is five on down. Hilliard has really come on. Alysha Witt is really coming on, and C.J. (Pivonka) is really solid."
Adams' confidence wasn't shaken and with good reason. Monroe batted around the order in six-run third and fifth innings to roll to a 12-2 five-inning win over Evansville at Twining Park.
"I don't think any of us had any doubts," said Adams of the Cheesemakers' 2-0 deficit. "We all knew if we play as a team we know what we can do. We know it's do or die now. We executed and that is what matters."
Adams went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a walk to lead the Cheesemakers' 12-hit attack against Evansville junior pitcher Kelsee Cashore who was tagged for eight earned runs. The Blue Devils committed four errors to help the Cheesemakers' cause.
"I feel like we have been working really hard in practice, and it's starting to show up in games when it matters," Adams said.
Monroe (20-8) advances to play at Delavan-Darien in a Division 2 regional championship game at 4:45 p.m. Friday.
Evansville (18-6) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on senior Kyla Litsheim's RBI double and Cashore's RBI single in the top of the third inning. It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to answer.
Monroe senior Kaya Teasdale singled up the middle to start the rally in the bottom of the third. Senior Natalie Dillon walked and Adams followed with an RBI single to right. With one out, senior Hannah Vetterli bunted and reached on a fielder's choice when Litscheim's throw to third base was cut off and bounced away, allowing Dillon to score to tie the game at 2. Monroe junior Lexi Hilliard then crushed a two-run double to center. Senior Cassidy Pivonka reached on an error and Hilliard scored to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 5-2. Sophomore Alysha Witt, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, delivered an RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers an insurmountable 6-2 lead.
The Cheesemakers hit a blistering .421 with runners in scoring position, going 8-for-19. Hilliard went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
"Kudos to Kaya Teasdale and Hilliard for getting those hits in the third inning to wrestle back the momentum," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "Once you get the first couple of hits everyone is a lot more relaxed."
One day after tossing a perfect game against Whitewater, Dillon pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up just two runs on five hits. Dillon struck out six and didn't issue a walk.
The Cheesemakers' defense turned in a solid performance. Vetterli picked Cashore off at second base in the first. Hilliard made a diving catch in the fifth with two runners on to end a Blue Devils' threat.
"I knew it was a play we needed to have," Hilliard said. "I was a little nervous. I have made plays like that before, and I just had to do it and I did it."
"If that lands it probably would have scored two runs," Buvid said of Hilliard's diving catch. "It could have been a 6-4 game easily."
Hilliard played some as a designated player earlier in the season. She has found a home in the Cheesemakers' lineup and is now batting sixth.
"She hit herself into the lineup," Buvid said. "She's a quiet hard-working kid who has really helped us."
The floodgates opened again in the fifth. Senior Kylea Ambrose, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI, singled up the middle. Hilliard followed lining a single to left. Witt then came through with an RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers a 7-2 lead. Teasdale drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Dillon reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Adams then lined a two-out RBI single to left to give the Cheesemakers a 10-2 lead. The Cheesemakers had four straight hits and scored three runs after two outs. Junior Carly Upmann had an RBI single to right and Ambrose ended the game with an RBI single.
"Our top four hitters have been good all year," Buvid said. "What has made us better is five on down. Hilliard has really come on. Alysha Witt is really coming on, and C.J. (Pivonka) is really solid."
