MONROE - For Monroe softball fans, it was nail-biting time in a WIAA Division 2 regional championship game against Brodhead Thursday night at Twining Park.
Brodhead (18-5), ranked 12th in the Division 2 Wisconsin Sports Net Fastpitch state poll, wasn't going to go down without a fight. With the Cheesemakers clinging to a 3-1 lead, the Cardinals hit their way into a potential game-tying situation against Monroe senior ace Renee Schuttler in the seventh inning.
Brodhead junior Courtney Mielke, who was 2-for-3, reached on an infield single that took a bad hop on Monroe junior shortstop Emily Rufenacht. Brodhead junior Leah Hegi singled with one out, putting the game-tying run on first.
Schuttler then induced a popout. Then Brodhead junior Ashley Johnson's fly ball was caught by left fielder Hannah Grossen to preserve the Cheesemakers' 3-1 WIAA Division 2 regional title win. Monroe (19-2), ranked first in the aforementioned poll, won its fifth regional title in the past seven years.
The Cheesemakers will play Jefferson, a 9-5 winner over Lakeside Lutheran, in Thursday's Whitewater sectional semifinal at 11 a.m. The winner of that game plays the victor between Prairie du Chien and Columbus in the sectional championship at 1 p.m. Thursday. The winner earns a state berth.
"It feels amazing," said Monroe junior Maggie Schuttler, who led the Cheesemakers by going 2-for-2. "I'm very proud of us. Yeah, we felt pressure because we have a big target on our back being the No. 1 seed. We just went out and got it done."
Maggie Schuttler wasn't worried about her older sister, Renee, closing the deal on a complete game.
"I knew we could get it done," Maggie said. "She (Renee) knows how to work through it. She keeps her poise."
Monroe coach Dale Buvid was proud the Cheesemakers pulled out the win.
"It's rewarding because the regional 1-5, I think it is strong as it's ever been," Buvid said. "We were not at our best and we still won. Do we have to get better to get to where we want to be? Probably."
The Cheesemakers struck right away in the first off Brodhead freshman Erika Stampfli. The lefty-hitting Maggie Schuttler and Rufenacht both singled with one out. Stampfli then walked Renee Schuttler to load the bases, before walking sophomore Gwen Sutter and giving the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
Monroe extended its lead to 3-0 on Kylie Kaiser's bloop RBI-single and Sutter's RBI-single in the third.
Renee Schuttler retired the first nine batters didn't allow a hit until the fourth on a leadoff single by freshman Tia Collins. Mielke then lined a two-out RBI-single up the middle to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-1. Schuttler gave up one run on five hits. She struck out nine and walked no one.
That set the stages for a tension-filled seventh inning.
"You have to tip your cap to them (Brodhead)," Buvid said. "They put the ball in play in that last inning. There is always a little bit of concern with high school sports. Thank God Hannah caught that last one."
Brodhead coach Steve Krupke was proud the Cardinals battled back.
"Of course, we were the underdog coming in," Krupke said. "We were not intimidated. I knew if we play Monroe 10 times, we are not going to win more than five of them."
Brodhead (18-5), ranked 12th in the Division 2 Wisconsin Sports Net Fastpitch state poll, wasn't going to go down without a fight. With the Cheesemakers clinging to a 3-1 lead, the Cardinals hit their way into a potential game-tying situation against Monroe senior ace Renee Schuttler in the seventh inning.
Brodhead junior Courtney Mielke, who was 2-for-3, reached on an infield single that took a bad hop on Monroe junior shortstop Emily Rufenacht. Brodhead junior Leah Hegi singled with one out, putting the game-tying run on first.
Schuttler then induced a popout. Then Brodhead junior Ashley Johnson's fly ball was caught by left fielder Hannah Grossen to preserve the Cheesemakers' 3-1 WIAA Division 2 regional title win. Monroe (19-2), ranked first in the aforementioned poll, won its fifth regional title in the past seven years.
The Cheesemakers will play Jefferson, a 9-5 winner over Lakeside Lutheran, in Thursday's Whitewater sectional semifinal at 11 a.m. The winner of that game plays the victor between Prairie du Chien and Columbus in the sectional championship at 1 p.m. Thursday. The winner earns a state berth.
"It feels amazing," said Monroe junior Maggie Schuttler, who led the Cheesemakers by going 2-for-2. "I'm very proud of us. Yeah, we felt pressure because we have a big target on our back being the No. 1 seed. We just went out and got it done."
Maggie Schuttler wasn't worried about her older sister, Renee, closing the deal on a complete game.
"I knew we could get it done," Maggie said. "She (Renee) knows how to work through it. She keeps her poise."
Monroe coach Dale Buvid was proud the Cheesemakers pulled out the win.
"It's rewarding because the regional 1-5, I think it is strong as it's ever been," Buvid said. "We were not at our best and we still won. Do we have to get better to get to where we want to be? Probably."
The Cheesemakers struck right away in the first off Brodhead freshman Erika Stampfli. The lefty-hitting Maggie Schuttler and Rufenacht both singled with one out. Stampfli then walked Renee Schuttler to load the bases, before walking sophomore Gwen Sutter and giving the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
Monroe extended its lead to 3-0 on Kylie Kaiser's bloop RBI-single and Sutter's RBI-single in the third.
Renee Schuttler retired the first nine batters didn't allow a hit until the fourth on a leadoff single by freshman Tia Collins. Mielke then lined a two-out RBI-single up the middle to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 3-1. Schuttler gave up one run on five hits. She struck out nine and walked no one.
That set the stages for a tension-filled seventh inning.
"You have to tip your cap to them (Brodhead)," Buvid said. "They put the ball in play in that last inning. There is always a little bit of concern with high school sports. Thank God Hannah caught that last one."
Brodhead coach Steve Krupke was proud the Cardinals battled back.
"Of course, we were the underdog coming in," Krupke said. "We were not intimidated. I knew if we play Monroe 10 times, we are not going to win more than five of them."
