MOUNT HOREB — The No. 2 seeded Monroe Cheesemakers fell behind the No. 1 seeded Mount Horeb Vikings in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal and couldn’t catch up in a 7-2 loss on Tue. June 2 at Mount Horeb that brought the Cheesemakers’ season to an end.
After a scoreless first two innings, the Vikings got three runs off Monroe senior pitcher Kaegann Paulson with a single, a sacrifice, and three straight singles plus a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers threatened to score in the top of the 4th inning when Maddie Ruegsegger singled and Paulson followed with a base hit. After Ivie Ellenson struck out and Jade Tran grounded out, Paizley Kundert walked to load the bases, but Kaya Holverson popped out to end the inning.
Mount Horeb increased the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth with a single, a sacrifice, and an error. The Cheesemakers averted any further damage as Holverson threw out a base runner trying to steal third for the second out and Paulson got the next batter, Jozie Clifton, to fly out to center.
Monroe cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the fifth when Fiona Junk walked and was erased on a fielder’s choice ground out by Annika Folk. With Folk aboard at first, shortstop Jayde Hawkinson blasted a two-run homer to center to get the Cheesemakers back into the game.
Mount Horeb answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another run in the sixth to make it 7-2. The Cheesemakers couldn’t catch up as Mount Horeb pitcher Ella Baber allowed just a base hit by Ruegsegger and walks to Tran and Hawkinson over the final two innings.
Paulson pitched six innings, allowing seven runs, four earned, 11 hits, and four strikeouts. Paulson was also the Cheesemakers’ leading hitter by going 3x4 with a double. Hawkinson was 1x3 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored.
Paulson ends a stellar career with 649 strikeouts, which puts her third all-time in Cheesemakers history behind Amy Bahler (’04, 690) and Olivia Bobak (’19, 651) on Monroe’s list of all-time strikeout leaders.
Monroe ends the season Division 2 regional champions with a 19-10 overall record.
