EDGERTON - A five-run second inning was all the Cheesemakers needed in order to advance to a WIAA Division 2 regional final. If Monroe can knock off Clinton today on the road, it will be the first time in over a decade the Cheesemakers will have reached sectionals. This year's sectional is in Monroe on June 7.
"It's exciting," said Cheesemakers coach Dustin Huffman after Tuesday's 6-4 win against Edgerton. "We tell the kids to take it one game at a time, one inning at a time and one pitch at a time. We've preached that all year, and the kids are taking to it."
After scoring a run in the top of the first, it was the second inning that broke the game open. Kevin Klopfenstein doubled to lead off the frame and was immediately brought home on a single from Dylan Cleaveland. Logan Wells was then hit by a pitch and Dylan Schwitz walked to load the bases. Mitch Riese made it 3-0 and singles by Mitch Marty, Austin Burandt and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Drew Nafzger put the Cheesemakers ahead 6-0.
"It was station to station. We didn't really have any special hits that inning, other than Klopfenstein's leadoff double. We have five hits and a couple of walks, and that worked out," Huffman said. "We're playing confident baseball right now."
The Crimson Tide scored one run in the bottom of the second, two more in the third and another in the seventh.
On the hill, Wells continued to shut down Edgerton. The senior held the No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide to just seven hits and a walk while striking out six. Edgerton did load the bases in the sixth, but Wells escaped unscathed.
"We played good baseball," Huffman said. "We're playing well right now. We've put ourselves in a good position."
Riese had three hits and both Marty and Cleaveland added a pair for Monroe.
Clinton, the regional's top seed, had to rally in order to get past Evansville. Had Clinton been knocked off, Monroe would have hosted the regional final - and potentially four of the possible five playoff games prior to the state tournament.
Today's game starts at 4:45 p.m.
"It's exciting," said Cheesemakers coach Dustin Huffman after Tuesday's 6-4 win against Edgerton. "We tell the kids to take it one game at a time, one inning at a time and one pitch at a time. We've preached that all year, and the kids are taking to it."
After scoring a run in the top of the first, it was the second inning that broke the game open. Kevin Klopfenstein doubled to lead off the frame and was immediately brought home on a single from Dylan Cleaveland. Logan Wells was then hit by a pitch and Dylan Schwitz walked to load the bases. Mitch Riese made it 3-0 and singles by Mitch Marty, Austin Burandt and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Drew Nafzger put the Cheesemakers ahead 6-0.
"It was station to station. We didn't really have any special hits that inning, other than Klopfenstein's leadoff double. We have five hits and a couple of walks, and that worked out," Huffman said. "We're playing confident baseball right now."
The Crimson Tide scored one run in the bottom of the second, two more in the third and another in the seventh.
On the hill, Wells continued to shut down Edgerton. The senior held the No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide to just seven hits and a walk while striking out six. Edgerton did load the bases in the sixth, but Wells escaped unscathed.
"We played good baseball," Huffman said. "We're playing well right now. We've put ourselves in a good position."
Riese had three hits and both Marty and Cleaveland added a pair for Monroe.
Clinton, the regional's top seed, had to rally in order to get past Evansville. Had Clinton been knocked off, Monroe would have hosted the regional final - and potentially four of the possible five playoff games prior to the state tournament.
Today's game starts at 4:45 p.m.
