MADISON — No team makes it to the state tournament by chance. It takes solid pitching, fielding and hitting.

The four teams in the WIAA Division 2 state tournament have a checkmark in all three areas.

“It’s totally awesome — there’s no feeling like it. I kept telling the girls that it is a whole different feeling,” Monroe head coach Joe O’Leksy said. “I know we’ve been there seven times before, but there is nothing like going out on Goodman Field — it’s the nicest stadium in the state. For a week you get to revel in that — all sorts of things and activities that lead up to it.”

Monroe (22-4) joins New Berlin West (22-3), Ellsworth (24-2) and Seymour (24-1) in the quest for the 2019 gold ball.

The Cheesemakers, ranked third in the final Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll prior to the start of the postseason, earned the top-seed at the state games and will face New Berlin West at approximately 4:30 p.m. June 7 at UW’s Goodman Field in downtown Madison.

“We knocked out Whitnall — defending champs, No. 2 in the state — I just think we are ready,” Monroe sophomore third baseman Lizzie Snider said.

For spectators that love pitching, the D2 field has that covered. Aces for Monroe, Seymour and Ellsworth all have ERAs under 1.80 on the season. New Berlin West has trotted out three pitchers for significant innings and have a collective ERA of 2.78.

Monroe senior Olivia Bobak (1.54 ERA) has six shutouts on the year and has 211 strikeouts to 50 walks and nine hit batters in 145 innings. Ellsworth’s Avery O’Neil, a junior, has struck out 211 batters in 142 innings with 46 walks and four hit batters. Not to be outdone, Seymour’s senior ace Paige Weyer has 157 Ks in 122 innings with just 27 walks.

“Everyone gets really hyped and really excited (that) she’s our pitcher,” Monroe sophomore shortstop Sydney Updike said of Bobak. “It’s really exciting to go to state — you are one of the few teams in the state able to make it. (We need to) just stay focused and don’t let the little things set you off.”

The glovework around the diamond should be solid, too, and the bats look to be other-worldly.

New Berlin West boasts a team batting average of .428, while Monroe is at .364, Ellsworth at .329 and Seymour .392. All four teams have at least four starters with an OPS (On-base percentage, plus Slugging percentage) of higher than 1.000, with Seymour having six such hitters enjoy that mark.

“It’s going to be crazy. We’re going to have so much fun preparing for it, it’s going to be great,” sophomore outfielder Sarah Prien said.”

Snider plays a tough position on the diamond — the hot corner. She’s got to guard the bunt by playing sometimes just 20-30 feet from the batter’s box, while also needing to be ready for a heat-seeking missile on a full swing.

“You just have to be ready. If they are swinging you have to be ready to take it, but it’s better than them getting on by a bunt,” Snider said.

Of the best hitters on display, New Berlin West junior catcher Kat Burkhardt is putting up video game numbers. The star player is batting .694 this season with 50 hits in 23 games. Even more impressive is her 16 home runs, 52 RBIs and better than Ruthian 2.233 OPS. She’s also a perfect 23 for 23 on steals.

Seymour also brings the hammer. Junior catcher Chloe Evans is batting .635 with 12 home runs and a 2.075 OPS in 22 games. Teammate Sophie Wery, a sophomore, is hitting .415 with 10 bombs and has a 1.452 OPS. As a team, the Thunder live up to their expectation with 26 taters on the season.

Monroe and New Berlin West each have 22 homers, while Ellsworth has 15.

Ellsworth, which plays in the Middle Border Conference along the Mississippi near Minneapolis, has 73 extra base hits this year, which include 50 doubles. The Panthers have six regulars with batting averages over .300 and have 71 stolen bases on the season.

Monroe has eight players hitting above .300 and have collected 89 extra base hits on the year. Bobak leads the way with eight doubles, seven triples and four bombs with a .481 batting average and 1.451 OPS. Hailey Betthauser leads the team with six home runs in the 2-spot in the batting order, while Grace Tostrud and Katie Hayes each have hit four bombs this year themselves. 

“These girls are playing well, and everyone knows they are playing well,” O’Leksy said. “Our subsectional didn’t get seeded quite the way we wanted to get seeded, but we proved ourselves. We beat two teams ranked in the state — No. 2 and No. 9, and beat other teams with winning records, 16-18 wins. We’ve proven ourselves. I’m very proud of these girls.”

Seymour and Ellsworth will battle in the first semifinal June 7 at 2:30 p.m. The winner will take on either Monroe or New Berlin West, which plays immediately after. The WIAA Division 2 state championship is slated for 4 p.m. June 8.

“Whatever happens at state, I know they will give it their best shot,” O’Leksy said of his squad.

New Berlin West has made it to Madison twice in program history and took home the gold ball in its last appearance in 2016. Seymour and Ellsworth are each making their first state tournament appearance. Monroe reached the state games seven times between 2003-2013 under former coach Dale Buvid, winning a title in 2003. This is coach Joe O’Leksy’s first time to state at the helm.

“The program was started by Dale, it was driven by Dale, and we’re still living off the coattails of Dale Buvid,” O’Leksy said.