EVANSVILLE — It took six years, but the Cheesemakers have returned to the state softball tournament.
Monroe knocked off McFarland in a tense 4-3 ballgame May 30 at Evansville High School in a WIAA Division 2 sectional final. This will be the program’s eighth trip to state and the first under head coach Joe O’Leksy.
“It feels so good. We worked all season for this, just to even get to this point,” Monroe senior pitcher Olivia Bobak said. “I have wanted to this for the last four years. The fact that I can do it in my senior year, I’m so glad we got this opportunity.”
Just as it’s been all season, the Cheesemakers found a way to win thanks to timely hitting and dominating pitching.
Bobak took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and two of McFarland’s three runs were unearned. After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the fourth, Monroe rallied, scoring three runs in the frame. The Cheesemakers added another in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.
“First of all, she’s getting ahead in the count, and that helps a lot. After that we can do a lot of things and move off the plate. Where we got into trouble a little bit was when we were getting a little behind (in the count). Then she refocused again and was great,” Monroe head coach Joe O’Leksy said.
McFarland’s only earned run — and hit — came in the top of the seventh, when leadoff hitter Morgan Butler smacked a solo home run to center field.
“The girl that hit the home run — that was a great pitch. We went in on her hands. Liv threw it where I told her to throw it and she just beat her that time. That can happen. We were leading by two runs, a solo home run doesn’t hurt us,” O’Leksy said.
If there was any time for me to come through, I feel like it would be this game. I’ve just got to go up there, not think about it and hit the ball.Monroe sophomore Lizzie Snider
Meanwhile, Monroe’s offense found success at the bottom of lineup. The Cheesemaker’s No. 8 and 9 hitters, sophomores Lizzie Snider and Sarah Prien, each had two hits.
“They didn’t try to do too much — just put the ball in play,” O’Leksy said.
Snider, batting .320 on the season, singled in the third and fourth innings and plated a run.
“If there was any time for me to come through, I feel like it would be this game. I’ve just got to go up there, not think about it and hit the ball,” Snider said.
Prien, hitting .269 — the lowest output of all nine starters — reached on a bunt in the third inning and then drove in two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a single to left.
“I knew that I had to come through. There’s two outs, runners on base, and we were down by one. I knew I had to come through,” Prien said.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Prien sent a high fly ball to the left field fence for a double. The outfielder fell down, allowing Prien to get to third and O’Leksy waved his young outfielder around to try to score, but the relay throw was in time and she was called out at the plate.
Sydney Updike had a hit and a run for Monroe, while Bobak, hitting a team-best .481 on the season and is 8 for 12 (.750) in the postseason, had a double, a single and a walk.
“I knew we could come back, we just needed to start hitting, and that’s what we did,” Updike said. “It feels really good. I’m really excited (to go to state).”
Bobak has continued to be impressive on the mound. After striking out 16 against defending state champion Whitnall in the sectional semifinal, the future Madison College hurler struck out 11 McFarland hitters and issued just one walk (and two hit-by-pitches).
I didn’t think it was ever going to happen, but it has and it’s something I’ll have forever.Monroe senior Hailey Betthauser
“I feel like in parts it was a little hard for me to focus and that I was a little amped up. I knew this is what I wanted and what I wanted to do,” Bobak said of moving on to state. The senior hurler said taking the no-hitter into the final inning of a sectional final meant a lot to her personally. “It feels really good, actually. They were a pretty good hitting team.”
In the 2-run fourth inning, Bobak opened by hitting KJ LeFave and walking Erin Eggers. With two outs, Butler hit a high fly ball into right field, but freshman Sloane Ambrose misplayed the ball with the sun in her eyes and both runs came in to score. Bobak then hit Maddy Fortune with a pitch in the knee, knocking the freshman out of the game. The next batter, junior Lizzy Fortune, grounded out to second.
“McFarland had won 10 out of the last 11 and they were coming here to win this game. They did everything they possibly could to put themselves in a position to win it. Our girls didn’t fold — after they got their two runs, we came right back and got three in the bottom of the inning,” O’Leksy said.
Bobak then doubled to left center to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Sloane Ambrose reached on a hit by pitch with two outs, then Snider and Prien had back-to-back base hits to drive in the three Cheesemaker runs.
In the fifth inning, Updike singled to left, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball with one out. After Bobak walked, Grace Tostrud grounded out to short to bring in the game-winning run.
“It’s really heartwarming and really amazing that we’re going to state. We’re really good at working together and keeping each other tight. We have confidence in everyone,” senior center fielder Hailey Betthauser said. “I didn’t think it was ever going to happen, but it has and it’s something I’ll have forever.”
