JOHNSON CREEK — Monticello-New Glarus busted out of a three-game slump with a 6-3 comeback win over Johnson Creek on Saturday, April 27. The Ponies trailed the Bluejays 3-0 after five innings before Karlee Wilkins’ 3-run homerun gave MNG the spark it needed.

After narrowly losing to ranked teams — No. 8 Highland 3-2 and No. 7 Barneveld 3-0 — the win gave MNG the confidence it needed heading into the second half of the conference season.

“The payoff is so, so huge,” MNG head coach Mitch Cernek said. “From all the games we’ve been so close and competing — there’s just something about getting it done that boosts the morale of the team. They believe a little bit more.”

The Ponies had to overcome soggy field conditions from the night before that postponed all local softball and baseball games. MNG starting pitcher Kira Whisler gave up a leadoff double to Hailey Kvalheim in the second and allowed her to move to third on a wild pitch. Whisler then walked Taylor Buglass to put runners on first and third.

But MNG’s defense had Whisler’s back. As Buglass stole second, catcher Dalana Trumpy faked the throw and caught Kvalheim taking too big of a lead at third. The Ponies got her out in a pickle on the throw coming home. 

Although Whisler got Molly Altreuter to ground out to Fink at third, Buglass ended up scoring on a wild pitch to give Johnson Creek a 1-0 lead.

MNG nearly knotted the game in the top of the second with two outs. Tatum O’Bel lined a single over the shortstop’s head, lefthanded-hitter Molly Olson laid down a bunt, and Bluejay catcher Buglass’ throw sailed into the outfield. Seeing the error, Cernek sent O’Bel home, but she was thrown out on the relay at the plate.

MNG attempted to generate some offense in the fourth with small ball.

Wilkins reached on an error and stole second. Fink legged out a bunt single, and Megan Peterson attempted to do the same. She popped up to the catcher, and Fink, who thought there were two outs, was doubled up at first. 

Johnson Creek took advantage of the mental error, as Kvalheim launched a solo homerun to left. Entering the game, she was hitting .350 with three doubles and four homeruns. Marlie Benz tacked on another run with a two-out RBI double down the left-field line to make it a 3-0 game.

Hailee Walk shut down the Ponies in order in the fifth, thanks to a diving play from Hailey Fincutter. The catch robbed Trumpy of a double in the gap.

Cernek made a pitching change in the bottom of the fifth, turning to O’Bel. She struck out Jenna Fincutter and got Lainey Benz to ground out. Although Kvalheim doubled to left, Peterson ensured the run wouldn’t score with a leaping catch to end the inning.

Turning defense to offense, O’Bel fouled off three pitches before drawing a leadoff walk. Olson also drew a walk, putting runners on for Wilkins. She attempted to bunt them over into scoring position but fouled off two attempts.

Determined to be a tough out, Wilkins fouled off three more pitches before smashing a game-tying three-run homerun to left.

“There was a little bit (of doubt),” Wilkins said when going down two strikes. “But yesterday that was the whole practice — putting a bat on any ball. I kept swinging, even if it was a chop. I just kept going with it. I didn’t know it was a homerun. I thought she was going to catch it. It felt pretty good.”

Veronica Tollakson kept the momentum rolling with a single up the middle, and Fink moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Peterson grounded to shortstop Lainey Benz, who checked Tollakson before throwing to first. Marlie Benz couldn’t scoop the throw, putting runners on first and third.

On the next pitch, Peterson took off for second. Buglass’ throw was cut off by second baseman Madi Brigowatz, who attempted to throw out Tollakson at home. The throw came in too late, as Tollakson dove to the outside of the plate to score what proved to be the game-winning run.

After a 1-2-3 shutdown inning from O’Bel, MNG scored two insurance runs in the seventh. Trumpy led off the frame with a double and scored on an error. Tollakson came up big again with an RBI single for a 6-3 lead.

To earn the win, O’Bel had to sit down the heart of the Johnson Creek order. Leadoff batter Brigowatz entered the game hitting .541 with nine stolen bases. Lainey Benz had a .457 batting average and 3-hole hitter Hailey Fincutter had speed with eight stolen bases.

“Of course it’s the top that was coming up,” Cernek said. “We were really going to have to earn this thing.” 

Although Brigowatz and Jenna Fincutter reached, O’Bel retired two batters via flyout. The game ended on a 6-3 groundout from Olson to Tollakson. O’Bel earned the win, pitching three innings of scoreless relief. She struck out two and didn’t issue a walk.

“I was trying to work my corners — inside, outside, high and low,” O’Bel said. “I wasn’t trying to throw any right down the middle because I knew they would hit those.”

Offense was spread out throughout the MNG lineup. Wilkins drove in three runs with her homer. Tollakson went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Fink was 2-for-3 with a double, and Trumpy was 1-for-4 with a double. Olson wasn’t retired in four plate appearances, reaching on an error, snagging a hit and drawing two walks.

With the win, the Ponies snapped the Bluejays’ 11-game winning streak. MNG looks to take that momentum into the week with conference games against Argyle-Black Hawk (April 29) and Barneveld (April 30).

POTOSI-CASSVILLE 10, MONTICELLO-NEW GLARUS 4

MONTICELLO — The Ponies’ win came on the heels of a five-error loss to the Chieftains in a Six Rivers Conference crossover on Thursday, April 25. Trumpy and Wilkins tallied two hits each. Whisler suffered the loss, giving up four unearned runs on six hits. She struck out four and didn’t issue a walk.