EVANSVILLE - When Monroe junior Hunter Weckerly walked Evansville's Zach Mielke in the bottom of the 13th inning with the bases loaded Tuesday, it looked like the Monroe baseball team's season was over. But the Cheesemakers got a second life, albeit brief, when Mielke stayed at the plate and made contact with the runner coming home from third base for an interference call.
Mielke was ruled out and the game went to the 14th inning. Ultimately, there was no changing the game-winner in the 14th as Evansville's Zac Wille had an RBI single to left to give the Blue Devils a 4-3 win over Monroe in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal.
"They were resilient," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said of the Cheesemakers. "There was no quit in them. There were times when they had us on the ropes and there were times where we had them on the ropes."
Huffman said Monroe assistant coach Eric Losenegger had his eye on the play where Mielke made contact with the potential game-winning run in the 13th and pointed out to the umpire that there was contact made before the run scored.
"It was such huge momentum and awkward situation," Huffman said of the bases-loaded walk that turned into an inning-ending out. "We thought that would give us the momentum to get one more run across. We came up a little short. Evansville clutched up and got a big two-out hit which we couldn't do in extra innings."
The Cheesemakers finished the season 13-13 and were 7-8 in one-run games this year.
Monroe junior Hogan Edwards pitched eight no-hit innings. Evansville's Dayton Zettelmeier had a single in the ninth to break up Edwards' no-hit bid. Edwards pitched 10 innings and gave up two earned runs on one hit.
The Blue Devils came back to take a lead-scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth on two balks by Edwards and a passed ball. Edwards walked one batter and hit one in the fifth. The Cheesemakers also committed one error to set up the inning for the Blue Devils to take a 3-2 lead.
It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to rally in the sixth. Monroe senior Jaron Kuester doubled off the fence in right. Edwards helped his own cause by lining an RBI single off the pitcher to score Kuester to tie the game at 3.
"It's unfortunate," Huffman said of the game being tied despite the fact the Blue Devils didn't have a hit for the first eight innings. "He (Edwards) threw well. He pitched well enough to get the win. Hogan's a gamer. We expect him every time he is on the mound."
Edwards and junior Cole Murray were each 3-for-5 with one RBI. Junior teammate Carter Sawdey was 2-for-7 with a double and one RBI.
The Blue Devils had a golden opportunity to win the game in the 11th when Wille lined a single to right off Monroe junior pitcher Brad Ripp. Wille stole second. Ripp intentionally walked Sam Urquhart and Zettelmeier. With the bases loaded and one out, Ripp pitched out of the jam by striking out Ben Veenstra and getting Tyler Aasen to ground out to end the threat.
Ripp pitched two shutout innings in relief. He struck out three and walked three. Weckerly pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief and took the loss. He gave up one unearned run on one hit and walked three.
"The seniors we had on and off the field set an example," Huffman said. "We will miss them. Our seniors carried us this year."
Mielke was ruled out and the game went to the 14th inning. Ultimately, there was no changing the game-winner in the 14th as Evansville's Zac Wille had an RBI single to left to give the Blue Devils a 4-3 win over Monroe in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal.
"They were resilient," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said of the Cheesemakers. "There was no quit in them. There were times when they had us on the ropes and there were times where we had them on the ropes."
Huffman said Monroe assistant coach Eric Losenegger had his eye on the play where Mielke made contact with the potential game-winning run in the 13th and pointed out to the umpire that there was contact made before the run scored.
"It was such huge momentum and awkward situation," Huffman said of the bases-loaded walk that turned into an inning-ending out. "We thought that would give us the momentum to get one more run across. We came up a little short. Evansville clutched up and got a big two-out hit which we couldn't do in extra innings."
The Cheesemakers finished the season 13-13 and were 7-8 in one-run games this year.
Monroe junior Hogan Edwards pitched eight no-hit innings. Evansville's Dayton Zettelmeier had a single in the ninth to break up Edwards' no-hit bid. Edwards pitched 10 innings and gave up two earned runs on one hit.
The Blue Devils came back to take a lead-scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth on two balks by Edwards and a passed ball. Edwards walked one batter and hit one in the fifth. The Cheesemakers also committed one error to set up the inning for the Blue Devils to take a 3-2 lead.
It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to rally in the sixth. Monroe senior Jaron Kuester doubled off the fence in right. Edwards helped his own cause by lining an RBI single off the pitcher to score Kuester to tie the game at 3.
"It's unfortunate," Huffman said of the game being tied despite the fact the Blue Devils didn't have a hit for the first eight innings. "He (Edwards) threw well. He pitched well enough to get the win. Hogan's a gamer. We expect him every time he is on the mound."
Edwards and junior Cole Murray were each 3-for-5 with one RBI. Junior teammate Carter Sawdey was 2-for-7 with a double and one RBI.
The Blue Devils had a golden opportunity to win the game in the 11th when Wille lined a single to right off Monroe junior pitcher Brad Ripp. Wille stole second. Ripp intentionally walked Sam Urquhart and Zettelmeier. With the bases loaded and one out, Ripp pitched out of the jam by striking out Ben Veenstra and getting Tyler Aasen to ground out to end the threat.
Ripp pitched two shutout innings in relief. He struck out three and walked three. Weckerly pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief and took the loss. He gave up one unearned run on one hit and walked three.
"The seniors we had on and off the field set an example," Huffman said. "We will miss them. Our seniors carried us this year."
