MONROE - Monroe junior Matt Whipple wanted to drive the ball in the third inning of a tie game with the bases loaded.
Whipple delivered his first varsity base hit - an RBI single to center - which proved to be the game-winning run in the Cheesemakers' 3-2 win over Milton on Thursday. It may not have been the way he envisioned it, but Whipple was thrilled with the result.
"I hit it off the handle of the bat," Whipple said. "I wanted to get more power into it. It was my first varsity hit and it won the game. I thought we would get a lot more runs."
However, that's all the run support senior Mike Demianiuk would need. Demianiuk pitched a complete game to get the win. He was efficient, giving up two runs while scattering six hits, striking out six and walking none. Monroe improves to 1-1, 1-0 in the Badger South.
"The first-pitch strikes are the most important pitches," Demianiuk said. "When you throw a first-pitch strike and have great defense behind you, you have a pretty good chance to win the game."
Milton's Nick Meyers lined a single to right to lead off the game. The Red Hawks took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly.
Milton starting pitcher Matt Rogers, who walked six in 2 1/3 innings, ran into trouble in the second after walking Demianiuk and Kris Rieder. Monroe senior Mike Rear then smoked a two-run double past a diving center fielder to give the Cheesemakers a 2-1 lead. After going 2-8 in one-run games last year, winning the first Badger South game in a one-run affair was a big step for the Cheesemakers.
"I was kind of slow out of the gate," Rear said of his double. "He didn't get it, I went to second and got two RBIs. We did some of the little things we didn't do last year."
Monroe had golden scoring opportunities in the third and sixth, but left the bases loaded both innings and stranded 10 runners in the game.
"I have been looking at their boxscores and I knew it would be a low-scoring game because we are not ready to hit yet," Monroe coach Steve Christensen said. "They gave us a lot of opportunities and we didn't take advantage of them."
Rogers ran into another jam in the third after walking Mitchell Marty. Monroe junior Cory Kundert reached on an error and Rogers walked Demianiuk to load the bases. Milton went to the bullpen and brought in Craig Verwinck, and Whipple greeted him with a go-ahead RBI single. Verwinck worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by striking out Rieder and Rear.
In the sixth, Rear walked and Alex Dammen bunted for a single. With one out, the Red Hawks intentionally walked Marty, who reached base all four at-bats, including three walks. Verwinck struck out Tayloy Weckerly and got Kundert to pop out to end the threat. Demianiuk also reached base every time, with three walks. Both Milton pitchers combined to walked nine - one intentionally.
"We have a bunch of guys who got in a hurry when they were up at the plate," Christensen said. "They have to slow the game down a little bit. We will get better."
A Badger Conference crossover doubleheader against Waunakee was on the mind of at least one player.
"You want to go out and pitch seven and help your team, especially with a doubleheader on Saturday," Demianiuk said. "There was a lot of good plays out in the field. I can't take much credit for the game."
Demianiuk picked off Josh Meyers, who led off the fourth with a single. The pickoff came to fruition after Marty raced from catcher to first base during a pickle play and used a swipe tag to nail Meyers. Monroe senior shortstop Scott Kline made a leaping grab on a liner in the fifth to rob an extra-base hit. Another stellar defensive play came from Rieder, who made a running catch on a line drive in the sixth.
Christensen was impressed with how efficient Demianiuk was in working ahead in the count.
"Mike made enough pitches," he said. "He makes it look easy when he throws as few as pitches as he did."
Whipple delivered his first varsity base hit - an RBI single to center - which proved to be the game-winning run in the Cheesemakers' 3-2 win over Milton on Thursday. It may not have been the way he envisioned it, but Whipple was thrilled with the result.
"I hit it off the handle of the bat," Whipple said. "I wanted to get more power into it. It was my first varsity hit and it won the game. I thought we would get a lot more runs."
However, that's all the run support senior Mike Demianiuk would need. Demianiuk pitched a complete game to get the win. He was efficient, giving up two runs while scattering six hits, striking out six and walking none. Monroe improves to 1-1, 1-0 in the Badger South.
"The first-pitch strikes are the most important pitches," Demianiuk said. "When you throw a first-pitch strike and have great defense behind you, you have a pretty good chance to win the game."
Milton's Nick Meyers lined a single to right to lead off the game. The Red Hawks took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly.
Milton starting pitcher Matt Rogers, who walked six in 2 1/3 innings, ran into trouble in the second after walking Demianiuk and Kris Rieder. Monroe senior Mike Rear then smoked a two-run double past a diving center fielder to give the Cheesemakers a 2-1 lead. After going 2-8 in one-run games last year, winning the first Badger South game in a one-run affair was a big step for the Cheesemakers.
"I was kind of slow out of the gate," Rear said of his double. "He didn't get it, I went to second and got two RBIs. We did some of the little things we didn't do last year."
Monroe had golden scoring opportunities in the third and sixth, but left the bases loaded both innings and stranded 10 runners in the game.
"I have been looking at their boxscores and I knew it would be a low-scoring game because we are not ready to hit yet," Monroe coach Steve Christensen said. "They gave us a lot of opportunities and we didn't take advantage of them."
Rogers ran into another jam in the third after walking Mitchell Marty. Monroe junior Cory Kundert reached on an error and Rogers walked Demianiuk to load the bases. Milton went to the bullpen and brought in Craig Verwinck, and Whipple greeted him with a go-ahead RBI single. Verwinck worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by striking out Rieder and Rear.
In the sixth, Rear walked and Alex Dammen bunted for a single. With one out, the Red Hawks intentionally walked Marty, who reached base all four at-bats, including three walks. Verwinck struck out Tayloy Weckerly and got Kundert to pop out to end the threat. Demianiuk also reached base every time, with three walks. Both Milton pitchers combined to walked nine - one intentionally.
"We have a bunch of guys who got in a hurry when they were up at the plate," Christensen said. "They have to slow the game down a little bit. We will get better."
A Badger Conference crossover doubleheader against Waunakee was on the mind of at least one player.
"You want to go out and pitch seven and help your team, especially with a doubleheader on Saturday," Demianiuk said. "There was a lot of good plays out in the field. I can't take much credit for the game."
Demianiuk picked off Josh Meyers, who led off the fourth with a single. The pickoff came to fruition after Marty raced from catcher to first base during a pickle play and used a swipe tag to nail Meyers. Monroe senior shortstop Scott Kline made a leaping grab on a liner in the fifth to rob an extra-base hit. Another stellar defensive play came from Rieder, who made a running catch on a line drive in the sixth.
Christensen was impressed with how efficient Demianiuk was in working ahead in the count.
"Mike made enough pitches," he said. "He makes it look easy when he throws as few as pitches as he did."
