MONROE - Senior pitcher Natalie Dillon threw a perfect game, one of only three in school history, as the Cheesemakers took down Whitewater 11-0 in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game on Tuesday.
It was a quick game for the home team at Twining Park as Monroe (19-8) defeated the Whitewater Whippets in five innings. Dillon had 10 strikeouts against the Whippets.
Monroe coach Dale Buvid said because of the upcoming game today, if Dillon had thrown anything less than a perfect game, she would have been taken out. But it was too difficult to remove Dillon from the game while she was throwing so well, even if he wanted to save her arm for the Cheesemakers showdown against Evansville today at Twining Park.
"She's a great kid, a great worker," Buvid said. "She deserves all the success she's had."
Dillon finished the game with her arm in both the fourth and fifth innings with three strikeouts each. Her final pitch of the game was an untouched zinger right down the middle of the plate.
While the Monroe defense did not allow a runner on base, its own bats were active throughout the duel. Dillon led off the first inning with a walk before stealing second. Senior Brooke Adams knocked a long drive out to left field for a double, bringing Dillon home. A line drive single by senior Kylea Ambrose garnered two RBI to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead.
At the bottom of the second with bases loaded, Carly Upmann lobbed a grounder past second base, bringing in a run by Kaya Teasdale, who had knocked a double to left center to start off the Cheesemaker bats. Two drives to left field by both senior Hannah Vetterli and Ambrose brought in two more runs, giving Monroe a 7-0 advantage as it headed into the third inning.
"You can't do a whole lot better," Buvid said. "You gotta be pretty happy about the way we played."
Infielders for Whitewater were a bit shaky as the third inning progressed with Monroe at bat. Junior Jessie Bennett knocked a drive past second base into center field. Teasdale sent a ball flying at Whippets pitcher Sara Johnson, who fumbled with the bases loaded, allowing Bennett to steal home. Dillon knocked a single to the shortstop, bringing in two more runs for the Cheesemakers.
Monroe will face off against Evansville at 5 p.m. today at Twining Park. No. 5 Evansville beat Watertown Luther Prep in a five-inning game on Tuesday. The winner of the game between Monroe and Evansville will advance to the regional final against the winner of the game between No. 1 Delavan-Darien and No. 8 East Troy scheduled for today at Delavan-Darien.
It was a quick game for the home team at Twining Park as Monroe (19-8) defeated the Whitewater Whippets in five innings. Dillon had 10 strikeouts against the Whippets.
Monroe coach Dale Buvid said because of the upcoming game today, if Dillon had thrown anything less than a perfect game, she would have been taken out. But it was too difficult to remove Dillon from the game while she was throwing so well, even if he wanted to save her arm for the Cheesemakers showdown against Evansville today at Twining Park.
"She's a great kid, a great worker," Buvid said. "She deserves all the success she's had."
Dillon finished the game with her arm in both the fourth and fifth innings with three strikeouts each. Her final pitch of the game was an untouched zinger right down the middle of the plate.
While the Monroe defense did not allow a runner on base, its own bats were active throughout the duel. Dillon led off the first inning with a walk before stealing second. Senior Brooke Adams knocked a long drive out to left field for a double, bringing Dillon home. A line drive single by senior Kylea Ambrose garnered two RBI to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead.
At the bottom of the second with bases loaded, Carly Upmann lobbed a grounder past second base, bringing in a run by Kaya Teasdale, who had knocked a double to left center to start off the Cheesemaker bats. Two drives to left field by both senior Hannah Vetterli and Ambrose brought in two more runs, giving Monroe a 7-0 advantage as it headed into the third inning.
"You can't do a whole lot better," Buvid said. "You gotta be pretty happy about the way we played."
Infielders for Whitewater were a bit shaky as the third inning progressed with Monroe at bat. Junior Jessie Bennett knocked a drive past second base into center field. Teasdale sent a ball flying at Whippets pitcher Sara Johnson, who fumbled with the bases loaded, allowing Bennett to steal home. Dillon knocked a single to the shortstop, bringing in two more runs for the Cheesemakers.
Monroe will face off against Evansville at 5 p.m. today at Twining Park. No. 5 Evansville beat Watertown Luther Prep in a five-inning game on Tuesday. The winner of the game between Monroe and Evansville will advance to the regional final against the winner of the game between No. 1 Delavan-Darien and No. 8 East Troy scheduled for today at Delavan-Darien.
