Cardinals record fourth shutout in four games

SPRING GREEN — Thanks to a four-run fourth inning, Brodhead soundly defeated River Valley 11-0 in a WIAA Division 3 Sectional Final on Thursday, June 1 to punch its ticket to the WIAA State Tournament at Goodman Diamond. It’s Brodhead’s first trip to state since 2004, when the Cardinals won the Division 3 championship.

“The last two years we’ve had heartbreakers at the end,” Brodhead head coach Steve Krupke said, remembering the 2-0 loss to Cambridge in the Regional Final in 2022 and the 2-1 loss to Dodgeville in the Regional Final in 2021. “I felt for the kids for that. It’s just nice to get it done. They came out ready to play tonight. There’re no questions left.”

The Cardinals got the chance to score first as the visiting team, a position they hadn’t been in since May 18 against Juda-Albany. Unlike that game where it took six innings to score, Brodhead started off hot with three runs in the first.

On the sixth pitch of her leadoff at-bat, Ava Risum singled to center. After fouling off five pitches, McKenna Young launched a two-run home run over the left field fence. Young knew the moment it left her bat it was gone, as she raised her fist in the air running to first.

“I was looking for a good pitch to drive,” Young said. “I kept telling myself, ‘Base hit. Base hit.’ I took a deep breath, saw the pitch I wanted and swung for it. It happened to go over the wall.”

Taetum Hoesly kept the inning rolling with a single to right. Her pinch runner, Tessa Kloepping, took second on a wild pitch and stole third. Jaelyn Hilliard then executed a suicide squeeze to score Kloepping. 

Young had just two blemishes in the bottom of the first — hitting the leadoff batter and walking Katie Hahn. She got out of the inning with a strikeout and ground out and settled in during the second inning, by inducing a grounder and striking out the other two batters.

Young took her pitching success to her at-bat in the third, as she lined a one-out double to left. Hoesly then delivered a one-out single to center that scored pinch runner Kyla Miller.

“She’s D1 for a reason,” Krupke said of Young, a South Dakota University commit. “They don’t give out scholarships to just anybody. She’s a two-way player. She’s a dominant pitcher, a dominant hitter and a good fielder.”

The Cardinals broke the game open in the fourth inning with four runs. 

Hilliard led off the inning with a slap hit toward second that just evaded the glove of a diving Kylie Merritt. With two outs, Tatum Ceslok drew a full-count walk. As the flex, Macayla Lang came in to run for Ceslok, the designated player. Lang stole second, drawing a throw from Blackhawk catcher Brooke Anderson. The throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Hilliard to score.

Sophia Leitzen and Young then drew back-to-back walks, and Hoesly came through with yet another RBI single to give Brodhead an 8-0 lead.

“It was really nice to get out of that slump that I was in throughout the middle of the season and coming to the end of the regular season,” Hoesly said. “In the post season, I don’t really worry about it because this is where it matters. I could care less about what happened the game before. It’s living in the now. That I batted in some runners in a crucial time when we really needed it meant everything to me.”

In the bottom of the fourth, Hahn led off the inning with a double that hit the top of the fence and bounced back in. It was just the second hit of the post season that Brodhead had given up. Young responded to the pressure by striking out two batters and getting another to pop out. 

After a three-up, three-down inning in the top of the fifth, Risum went in for relief. She had a clean inning, getting the first batter to pop up and striking out the last two.

“Mckenna really encourages me. Usually she starts the game, and she gives me a preview of what the umpire is like,” Risum said of her relief appearance against River Valley and throughout the season. “That helps me when I go in. Her speed and my ability to locate really complement each other.”

Starting pitcher Young echoed Risum’s thoughts, knowing the change in pitching would benefit the entire team.

“I love going first — I feel fresh. Not only am I able to help her [Risum] with what pitches are working on certain batters, but also the strike zone,” Young said. “Her chase pitches work a lot better after seeing my chase pitches. We just really complement each other in the depths of our pitching staff and catching staff.”

Risum struck out two more Blackhawks in the sixth, handing it over to the offense. Even though they didn’t need it, the Cardinals scored three more runs in the seventh.

Young led off with a walk, followed by a single from Hoesly to complete her 4-for-4 offensive performance. Alexis Kammerer moved both runners into scoring position with a grounder to relief pitcher Miranda Feiner. Pinch runner Gretchen Kammerer scored on a fielder’s choice, and Hoesly scampered home on an error. In a pinch at-bat, Miller singled to right, and Ceslok drove in the final run.

River Valley went down in order in the seventh, as Risum ended the game with a strikeout of Taya Hatfield. Risum and relief catcher Jerrica Schwartz embraced on the mound with the rest of their team surrounding them. 

“It’s overwhelming but so cool,” Risum said of winning the sectional title. “We are all so happy for each other and excited. We had this opportunity last year, but to fulfill it is so amazing.”

The trio of Risum, Young and Hoesly went a combined 8-for-11 with six RBIs. The remaining two hits came from Hilliard and Miller. In 32 at-bats, the Cardinals struck out just once.

“The whole night we struck out once, so we’re putting the ball in play and having good at bats,” Krupke said. “She [Hahn] moves the ball around, but she doesn’t groove it. We were waiting for pitches to hit. I was really impressed with our offensive approach tonight.”

On the mound, Young and Risum combined for a one-hit shutout, their fourth in as many games in the post season. They gave up just one walk and struck out 11.

With the win, Brodhead is headed to the state tournament for the first time since 2004, when the Cardinals won the title. The mission is clear: win.

“We are looking to win. We want a gold ball,” Young said. “It’s been way too many years — before we were even born. We want to bring it back. We have the talent and opportunity to do it.”

BRODHEAD — The softball program in Brodhead is no stranger to adversity. In 2020, the current senior class lost its freshman season to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Dodgeville defeated the Cardinals 2-1 in the regional final, and last season, No. 5-seeded Cambridge upset the No. 1-seeded Cards 2-0 in a regional final. 

“I genuinely think the last few years people have underestimated us. How it’s turned out, yeah they probably should have,” senior catcher Taetum Hoesly said. “But this year, we are all ready to keep going. We don’t want it to stop.”

Brodhead, ranked No. 2 in Division 3 with a 25-2 record, hit the ground running this season — ready to capitalize on its missed opportunities. The Cardinals started the season 13-0 before falling to Beloit Turner — a Division 2 state qualifier — 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brodhead’s only other loss came to Milton — ranked No. 7 in Division 1. 

Notable wins this season include a 1-0 win over Division 5 Juda-Albany, a 4-0 win over Division 1 Waunakee and a 4-0 win in the sectional semifinal over No. 8-ranked Marshall. 

A large part of Brodhead’s success has come from the pitcher’s circle.

A pair of aces

Pitchers Mckenna Young and Ava Risum have thrown 17 shutouts in 27 games, struck out a combined 331 batters, given up just 55 hits, walked 15 and hit seven for a miniscule 0.34 ERA. The two have split time rather evenly on the mound with Young, a Division 1 commit to South Dakota State, pitching 85 2/3 innings and Risum 79 innings.

“I’m a blessed coach,” Brodhead head coach Steve Krupke said. “If we aren’t giving up runs, it’s hard to lose.”

Young, the usual starter, throws high heat, getting many of her strikeouts via the rise ball. In relief, Risum relies on location. To face both in one game can be paralyzing.

“Some games I tell Coach, ‘Hey, if you put her in right now, it would mess up these batters so bad,’” Young said. “I have complete and utter faith in her [Risum]. I know that if I’m getting rocked, I know Ava will come in and crush it.”

Behind every great pitcher is a great catcher, the saying goes, and Taetum Hoesly fits the bill. The senior has caught Young since the beginning and has also developed a great rapport with Risum.

“It really helps to get along with your pitchers,” Hoesly said. “Say they throw a bad ball and hit you, you don’t get mad about it. You crack a joke and shake it off. You build a connection to where you know what is coming — what pitch and where it’s going to be.”

On the opposite side, Young and Risum echoed Hoesly’s sentiment of friendship and trust.

“I know if I miss my spot, she [Hoesly] will block it and save my butt,” Young said.

Besides pitching and catching, the trio has led the team offensively.

Plate prowess

Brodhead has four batters hitting over .300 on the season, with six driving in double-digit runs. (See team statistics below).

At leadoff, Risum is hitting .350 with 14 RBIs, 28 hits and 26 runs scored. In the two hole, Sophia Leitzen leads the team with a .456 batting average, 41 hits and 34 runs scored. She’s also driven in 22 runs. Third in the lineup, Young has 32 hits — 10 of which are doubles and another seven over the fence — 30 RBIs and 24 runs scored for a .381 batting average. In the cleanup spot, Hoesly has 25 hits, four home runs and 25 RBIs for a .312 average.

The other two that have double-digit RBIs are Alexis Kammerer (17) and Jaelyn Hilliard (10). Also contributing to the offense are Jerrica Schwartz, Macayla Lang and Alecia Dahl, who have scored 16, 13 and 10 runs, respectively. 

Collectively, Brodhead has outhit opponents 214-35, outscored them 199-10 and are batting over .200 points better, .322-.119. 

Prepping for Goodman

As the highest-ranked team left in Division 3, Brodhead received the No. 1 seed in the tournament and will play No. 4-seeded Somerset in the semifinal. The Spartans (11-12 overall, 6-8 Middle Border) are making their first ever state appearance with a 2-0 win over Prescott, a conference opponent, in the sectional final.

Mishicot received the No. 2 seed after winning the Division 4 title in 2021. This season the Indians (21-5 overall, 10-0 Big East) won their conference and defeated Peshtigo 6-0 in the sectional final. They will play No. 3-seeded Mayville. The Cardinals (19-4 overall, 12-2 Flyway) make their first state appearance in 21 years with an 8-6 win over Lakeside Lutheran in the sectional final.

Because none of his players have made the big stage for softball, Krupke intends to get his team comfortable before they play. Brodhead will attend the Division 1 games on Thursday, followed by some team bonding.

“In 2004 when I was coaching, a coach I really respected said ‘You’ve got to get them in that facility before they play in that facility. Otherwise, they are going to be buzzing,’” Krupke said. “I want to walk them through the routine because it’s very structured. You get less infield time, certain batting cage time. I want to walk them through it, so I’m not trying to herd cats the first time we are there.”

Despite the lack of experience, Young is ready for the big stage. She knows this is the last opportunity she will have to play in a Cardinal uniform.

“I feel like some people are definitely praying that we lose. People don’t like us very much. It’s not even the fact that we are cocky, but that we are talented,” Young said. “We’ve had so many missed opportunities, and we want to capitalize on it. Our who team wants it so bad. As seniors, we know that this is the last we’ve got so we have to make the best of it.”

Hoesly matched Young’s intensity, knowing it’s the perfect time to perform.

“It’s go big or go home, for sure,” Hoesly said. “We’re ready to go big.”