ORFORDVILLE - Monroe sophomore Sean Saxby knocked in the game-winning run with a grounder to first base in the seventh inning to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 win over Orfordville Parkview Saturday, May 11.
The late-game heroics for the Cheesemakers (2-13, 0-8 Badger South) snapped a 10-game losing streak as they knocked off Parkview (14-3), last year's WIAA Division 3 state runner-up.
"Any time you can beat a team of that caliber it's a huge win for us," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Maybe we can get a No. 4 or No. 5 seed now. Most of the teams in our regional are in Parkview's conference."
Monroe senior Mitch Riese took one for the team in the seventh, setting up the comeback as he was hit by a pitch. He stole second base to get into scoring position. Monroe freshman Jaron Kuester then reached on an infield single and senior Kevin Klopfenstein laid down a sacrifice bunt. Saxby then hit a grounder to first that scored Riese to give the Cheesemakers the lead they didn't relinquish.
"We played some small ball for a change," Huffman said. "We manufactured all of our runs. We made plays when we needed to."
The Cheesemakers took a 2-0 lead in the sixth on a two-run single by senior Lane Berndt down the third-base line. Berndt pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked three.
"He got his curveball over for strikes," Huffman said. "Any time you can do that, it's an advantage. He's still learning a lot about location and what pitch to throw when. He will be a nice weapon for us if he can continue to go out there and throw like he did on Saturday."
The late-game heroics for the Cheesemakers (2-13, 0-8 Badger South) snapped a 10-game losing streak as they knocked off Parkview (14-3), last year's WIAA Division 3 state runner-up.
"Any time you can beat a team of that caliber it's a huge win for us," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "Maybe we can get a No. 4 or No. 5 seed now. Most of the teams in our regional are in Parkview's conference."
Monroe senior Mitch Riese took one for the team in the seventh, setting up the comeback as he was hit by a pitch. He stole second base to get into scoring position. Monroe freshman Jaron Kuester then reached on an infield single and senior Kevin Klopfenstein laid down a sacrifice bunt. Saxby then hit a grounder to first that scored Riese to give the Cheesemakers the lead they didn't relinquish.
"We played some small ball for a change," Huffman said. "We manufactured all of our runs. We made plays when we needed to."
The Cheesemakers took a 2-0 lead in the sixth on a two-run single by senior Lane Berndt down the third-base line. Berndt pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked three.
"He got his curveball over for strikes," Huffman said. "Any time you can do that, it's an advantage. He's still learning a lot about location and what pitch to throw when. He will be a nice weapon for us if he can continue to go out there and throw like he did on Saturday."
