MIDDLETON - All it took to move on to the WIAA Division 2 Portage Sectional final was one clutch swing with a runner in scoring position.
Monroe got the swing it needed from Gwen Sutter in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday. Sutter's RBI groundout to third allowed Kristin McArdle to score the game's only run as the Cheesemakers held off Sauk Prairie 1-0. The Cheesemakers were 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and the Eagles were 1-for-8.
"To struggle all game and finally get a hit, it feels good," Sutter said.
McArdle started the eighth with a booming double off the middle of the left field fence.
"It felt good coming off the bat. It felt like it was going to go somewhere," McArdle said. "It was nice to get a hit because I have been kind of cold at the plate lately. I was confident the girls behind me - Brandi and Gwen - would come through."
A single by Brandi Trewartha moved McArdle to third and a wild throw home allowed Trewartha to advance to second. That set up Sutter's heroics.
"I just wanted to make contact and allow the baserunners do what they need to to get in. It felt really good to have Kristin be a smart baserunner and make the decision to go home and get the run," Sutter said.
The run stood as Monroe freshman Becca Armstrong continued her dominating start to varsity softball by getting the Eagles to go down 1-2-3 in the last of the eighth.
"We have to give a lot of credit to Miss Becca Armstrong," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "She did a fabulous job."
The Eagles (12-10) had runners on the bases in each of the first three innings, but Armstrong found her groove midway through the game and finished strong. She also didn't let several illegal pitch calls get into her head.
"I didn't let it get to me. I knew that once the pitch was gone I would just focus on the next pitch," Armstrong said. "There has been some pressure (in the playoffs), but I've just tried to go out there every game and try my hardest."
Armstrong allowed just four hits in the game, two of which came to the first two batters she faced.
"I think this is the third or fourth game in a row now where she has given up an extra base hit to lead off the game," Buvid said. "Two on and nobody out - to pitch out of that, with the illegal pitch thing - to have enough poise and confidence to battle through those things is just outstanding."
Sauk Prairie's Aimee Thrune led off the first with a double down the left field line and Lauren Anderson slapped an infield single to short. Armstrong got the next two hitters to go down looking before fielding the inning-ending groundout.
"We knew we had their good hitters up, (numbers) 1 and 2, and we just had to go after them," Armstrong said, who struck out eight and only walked one. "It gives me a ton of confidence headed into the sectional final."
Monroe (11-12) advances to the sectional final for the third consecutive year despite having a roller coaster regular season.
"I'm real proud of the kids. From where we've come from at some points this year, getting 10-runned a few times and stuff like that. To be in the sectional final - hats off to the kids," Buvid said. "We found a way to do it. We're there. We have a chance."
The Cheesemakers will face familiar Badger South foe, conference champion Fort Atkinson (21-4), at 5 p.m., Friday, in Portage for the right to the state tournament.
"Fort's very good. They're going to have probably six first-team all-conference players. We played them close both times we played them," Buvid said. "Becca will have to be outstanding to give us a chance. (Fort) is riding high. They think this is their year. We'll have to play better than we did today."
Monroe got the swing it needed from Gwen Sutter in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday. Sutter's RBI groundout to third allowed Kristin McArdle to score the game's only run as the Cheesemakers held off Sauk Prairie 1-0. The Cheesemakers were 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and the Eagles were 1-for-8.
"To struggle all game and finally get a hit, it feels good," Sutter said.
McArdle started the eighth with a booming double off the middle of the left field fence.
"It felt good coming off the bat. It felt like it was going to go somewhere," McArdle said. "It was nice to get a hit because I have been kind of cold at the plate lately. I was confident the girls behind me - Brandi and Gwen - would come through."
A single by Brandi Trewartha moved McArdle to third and a wild throw home allowed Trewartha to advance to second. That set up Sutter's heroics.
"I just wanted to make contact and allow the baserunners do what they need to to get in. It felt really good to have Kristin be a smart baserunner and make the decision to go home and get the run," Sutter said.
The run stood as Monroe freshman Becca Armstrong continued her dominating start to varsity softball by getting the Eagles to go down 1-2-3 in the last of the eighth.
"We have to give a lot of credit to Miss Becca Armstrong," Monroe head coach Dale Buvid said. "She did a fabulous job."
The Eagles (12-10) had runners on the bases in each of the first three innings, but Armstrong found her groove midway through the game and finished strong. She also didn't let several illegal pitch calls get into her head.
"I didn't let it get to me. I knew that once the pitch was gone I would just focus on the next pitch," Armstrong said. "There has been some pressure (in the playoffs), but I've just tried to go out there every game and try my hardest."
Armstrong allowed just four hits in the game, two of which came to the first two batters she faced.
"I think this is the third or fourth game in a row now where she has given up an extra base hit to lead off the game," Buvid said. "Two on and nobody out - to pitch out of that, with the illegal pitch thing - to have enough poise and confidence to battle through those things is just outstanding."
Sauk Prairie's Aimee Thrune led off the first with a double down the left field line and Lauren Anderson slapped an infield single to short. Armstrong got the next two hitters to go down looking before fielding the inning-ending groundout.
"We knew we had their good hitters up, (numbers) 1 and 2, and we just had to go after them," Armstrong said, who struck out eight and only walked one. "It gives me a ton of confidence headed into the sectional final."
Monroe (11-12) advances to the sectional final for the third consecutive year despite having a roller coaster regular season.
"I'm real proud of the kids. From where we've come from at some points this year, getting 10-runned a few times and stuff like that. To be in the sectional final - hats off to the kids," Buvid said. "We found a way to do it. We're there. We have a chance."
The Cheesemakers will face familiar Badger South foe, conference champion Fort Atkinson (21-4), at 5 p.m., Friday, in Portage for the right to the state tournament.
"Fort's very good. They're going to have probably six first-team all-conference players. We played them close both times we played them," Buvid said. "Becca will have to be outstanding to give us a chance. (Fort) is riding high. They think this is their year. We'll have to play better than we did today."
