MONROE - Monroe junior Kayla Updike crushed a key two-out, three-run triple in a seven-run fifth inning to lead the Cheesemakers to a 9-6 win over Portage in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal Tuesday, May 28 at Twining Park.
Updike went 3-for-4 with five RBIs to propel the Cheesemakers (26-2) to Thursday's sectional championship game against McFarland in Evansville. The Cheesemakers, the state runner-up last year, are looking to make a run to state for the third straight year and seventh time in the last 11 years.
"It felt so good coming off the bat," Updike said of the triple. "I was just looking for a base hit so we could score some runs. We just had a lot of mental toughness. We were not going to let them take it away from us. We wanted it really bad. We have been working hard for this. I'm glad we won."
Updike's two-run single in the third staked the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead. Monroe senior pitcher Becca Armstrong retired nine of the first 10 batters she faced. Portage's Morgan Mills broke up Armstrong's no-hit bid with a single up the middle in the fifth.
The Cheesemakers led just 2-1 before breaking the game open with a seven-run fifth. Updike doubled and junior Taylor O'Leksy moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt. Monroe junior Kirsten Vetterli lined a single to center and senior pinch hitter Briana Katzenberger delivered an RBI single up the middle to give the Cheesemakers a 4-1 lead. Senior Lauren Hendrickson then lined an RBI single to right and junior Ellie Grossen came through with an RBI single. That set the stages for Updike's two-out bases clearing three-run triple to give the Cheesemakers a commanding 9-1 lead.
"That was a big hit," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Katzenberger's RBI single. "That opened the floodgates. It's hard for a kid who has started a lot of games and when we get to the big games she isn't playing out there as much. She hasn't pouted. She found a way to help her team."
The Cheesemakers had 13 hits off Portage starting pitcher Jenalee Wilson. Grossen went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and senior Heather Barta was 2-for-3.
Portage (15-4) didn't go away quietly. The Warriors got singles from Allison Hill and Jessica Parrott in the sixth. Portage's Amanda Elsing then reached on an error. Armstrong walked in a run and Mills cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-3 with an RBI ground out. The Warriors scored their third run of the sixth on a dropped third strike to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-4.
Parrott had an RBI double in the seventh off Armstrong and Elsing knocked in her second run on a ground out to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-6. Armstrong ended the rally by getting Nellie Hilgendorf to pop out to Updike at first. Armstrong gave up six runs, but only three were earned on six hits. She struck out 12 and walked three. She didn't panic even though the Warriors scored five runs in the last two innings.
"I wasn't too concerned," Armstrong said. Buvid "knew we have had some good battles against Portage over the years. It was important to keep our composure. We knew they would come in and give us a fight. We have had a great season. We have won conference and a regional. Our main goal is to get to state and back to Goodman Diamond."
Buvid said the Cheesemakers have to be a little stronger defensively.
"I felt confident when we were leading 9-1," Buvid said. "We gave them a couple of runs. You can't do that against good teams. We gave them some openings and good teams will take advantage of the openings."
Monroe will now gear up for former Badger Conference rival McFarland in the sectional final.
"We don't know much about McFarland," Armstrong said. "It's just about going out and playing our best game no matter who is on the other side of the field."
Updike went 3-for-4 with five RBIs to propel the Cheesemakers (26-2) to Thursday's sectional championship game against McFarland in Evansville. The Cheesemakers, the state runner-up last year, are looking to make a run to state for the third straight year and seventh time in the last 11 years.
"It felt so good coming off the bat," Updike said of the triple. "I was just looking for a base hit so we could score some runs. We just had a lot of mental toughness. We were not going to let them take it away from us. We wanted it really bad. We have been working hard for this. I'm glad we won."
Updike's two-run single in the third staked the Cheesemakers to a 2-0 lead. Monroe senior pitcher Becca Armstrong retired nine of the first 10 batters she faced. Portage's Morgan Mills broke up Armstrong's no-hit bid with a single up the middle in the fifth.
The Cheesemakers led just 2-1 before breaking the game open with a seven-run fifth. Updike doubled and junior Taylor O'Leksy moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt. Monroe junior Kirsten Vetterli lined a single to center and senior pinch hitter Briana Katzenberger delivered an RBI single up the middle to give the Cheesemakers a 4-1 lead. Senior Lauren Hendrickson then lined an RBI single to right and junior Ellie Grossen came through with an RBI single. That set the stages for Updike's two-out bases clearing three-run triple to give the Cheesemakers a commanding 9-1 lead.
"That was a big hit," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said of Katzenberger's RBI single. "That opened the floodgates. It's hard for a kid who has started a lot of games and when we get to the big games she isn't playing out there as much. She hasn't pouted. She found a way to help her team."
The Cheesemakers had 13 hits off Portage starting pitcher Jenalee Wilson. Grossen went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and senior Heather Barta was 2-for-3.
Portage (15-4) didn't go away quietly. The Warriors got singles from Allison Hill and Jessica Parrott in the sixth. Portage's Amanda Elsing then reached on an error. Armstrong walked in a run and Mills cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-3 with an RBI ground out. The Warriors scored their third run of the sixth on a dropped third strike to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-4.
Parrott had an RBI double in the seventh off Armstrong and Elsing knocked in her second run on a ground out to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 9-6. Armstrong ended the rally by getting Nellie Hilgendorf to pop out to Updike at first. Armstrong gave up six runs, but only three were earned on six hits. She struck out 12 and walked three. She didn't panic even though the Warriors scored five runs in the last two innings.
"I wasn't too concerned," Armstrong said. Buvid "knew we have had some good battles against Portage over the years. It was important to keep our composure. We knew they would come in and give us a fight. We have had a great season. We have won conference and a regional. Our main goal is to get to state and back to Goodman Diamond."
Buvid said the Cheesemakers have to be a little stronger defensively.
"I felt confident when we were leading 9-1," Buvid said. "We gave them a couple of runs. You can't do that against good teams. We gave them some openings and good teams will take advantage of the openings."
Monroe will now gear up for former Badger Conference rival McFarland in the sectional final.
"We don't know much about McFarland," Armstrong said. "It's just about going out and playing our best game no matter who is on the other side of the field."
