MONROE - Senior Brandi Trewartha couldn't help but use science terminology to explain Monroe's offensive surge at the end of the season.
"It's like a chain reaction," Trewartha said after Monroe had eight hits, including three extra base hits, in a 6-2 win over Stoughton, which moved the Cheesemakers within a half game of Oregon for second place in the Badger South.
Trewartha is planning on attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the fall and she plans on a career in the medical field.
"I feel like we are starting to hit the ball better," she said. "Once someone starts hitting, it seems like everyone else starts hitting. It's a confidence thing. We are getting hits and being more consistent."
The Cheesemakers had several clutch performances on senior night including, Trewartha, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, senior Gwen Sutter's go-ahead RBI single in a four-run fourth inning and a solid pitched game from freshman Becca Armstrong.
Monroe (7-14, 6-5 Badger South) jumped out to an early lead. Senior Paisley Bennett led off with a single to right. Junior Kelsey Erickson then smoked an RBI triple to the fence in left. Trewartha then delivered an RBI single to right to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
"That was just huge to start out like that," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "She (Kelli Blum) hasn't given up six runs very many times this year. That gave us a lot of confidence and momentum."
Stoughton (8-10, 5-5) battled back to tie the game in the third. Andrea Lawrence beat out an infield single. Sophie Schieldt followed with a single. The big blow came on Kelli Blum's game-tying two-run single up the middle that tied the game at two.
The Cheesemakers answered with a four-run fourth off Blum on the mound. Trewartha crushed a triple to left. Sutter then came through with an RBI single to left that gave the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. Abby Kennsion then beat out an infield single. Kaylee Craigo then grounded to second base, but pinch runner Sarah Kloepping scored after beating a throw home to give the Cheesemakers a 4-2 lead.
"Tonight is a special night," Trewartha said. "We want to be happy on Senior night. To get the win makes it even better."
The Vikings' gambles to cut down the lead runner in the fourth back fired and opened the door for a big inning for the Cheesemakers. Senior Kendell Niffenegger reached on a fielder's choice, but pinch runner Rebecca Flannery beat the throw home. Bennett knocked in another run when the right fielder threw her out at first to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead.
Armstrong pitched a complete game and made the lead stand up. She gave up just two runs on seven hits. She struck out four and walked two. Armstrong pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth. She struck out Shelby Tjugum and got Dylan Bahnrke to ground into a fielder's choice.
She pitched out of a two on, no out jam in the fifth. She got Blum to fly out to center and induced the next two batters to ground out ending the threat.
"She (Armstrong) pitched with a lot of poise," Buvid said. "She stepped up and made some big pitches. That's a step in the growth process. For a kid like that, she has a lot of toughness. It certainly will not be the last test we go through."
Buvid will have a WIAA Division 2 regional seeding meeting today. Monroe is in the Division 2 regional with Mount Horeb and five Southwest Wisconsin Conference teams including River Valley, which is expected to get the regional's No. 1 seed. Monroe has now beat Oregon and Stoughton in its last two games.
"These two wins should give us a chance for a No. 2 seed and a home game or two," Buvid said. "I think from top to bottom, our conference is tougher than the Southwest Wisconsin Conference."
"It's like a chain reaction," Trewartha said after Monroe had eight hits, including three extra base hits, in a 6-2 win over Stoughton, which moved the Cheesemakers within a half game of Oregon for second place in the Badger South.
Trewartha is planning on attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the fall and she plans on a career in the medical field.
"I feel like we are starting to hit the ball better," she said. "Once someone starts hitting, it seems like everyone else starts hitting. It's a confidence thing. We are getting hits and being more consistent."
The Cheesemakers had several clutch performances on senior night including, Trewartha, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, senior Gwen Sutter's go-ahead RBI single in a four-run fourth inning and a solid pitched game from freshman Becca Armstrong.
Monroe (7-14, 6-5 Badger South) jumped out to an early lead. Senior Paisley Bennett led off with a single to right. Junior Kelsey Erickson then smoked an RBI triple to the fence in left. Trewartha then delivered an RBI single to right to give the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
"That was just huge to start out like that," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "She (Kelli Blum) hasn't given up six runs very many times this year. That gave us a lot of confidence and momentum."
Stoughton (8-10, 5-5) battled back to tie the game in the third. Andrea Lawrence beat out an infield single. Sophie Schieldt followed with a single. The big blow came on Kelli Blum's game-tying two-run single up the middle that tied the game at two.
The Cheesemakers answered with a four-run fourth off Blum on the mound. Trewartha crushed a triple to left. Sutter then came through with an RBI single to left that gave the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead. Abby Kennsion then beat out an infield single. Kaylee Craigo then grounded to second base, but pinch runner Sarah Kloepping scored after beating a throw home to give the Cheesemakers a 4-2 lead.
"Tonight is a special night," Trewartha said. "We want to be happy on Senior night. To get the win makes it even better."
The Vikings' gambles to cut down the lead runner in the fourth back fired and opened the door for a big inning for the Cheesemakers. Senior Kendell Niffenegger reached on a fielder's choice, but pinch runner Rebecca Flannery beat the throw home. Bennett knocked in another run when the right fielder threw her out at first to give the Cheesemakers a 6-2 lead.
Armstrong pitched a complete game and made the lead stand up. She gave up just two runs on seven hits. She struck out four and walked two. Armstrong pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth. She struck out Shelby Tjugum and got Dylan Bahnrke to ground into a fielder's choice.
She pitched out of a two on, no out jam in the fifth. She got Blum to fly out to center and induced the next two batters to ground out ending the threat.
"She (Armstrong) pitched with a lot of poise," Buvid said. "She stepped up and made some big pitches. That's a step in the growth process. For a kid like that, she has a lot of toughness. It certainly will not be the last test we go through."
Buvid will have a WIAA Division 2 regional seeding meeting today. Monroe is in the Division 2 regional with Mount Horeb and five Southwest Wisconsin Conference teams including River Valley, which is expected to get the regional's No. 1 seed. Monroe has now beat Oregon and Stoughton in its last two games.
"These two wins should give us a chance for a No. 2 seed and a home game or two," Buvid said. "I think from top to bottom, our conference is tougher than the Southwest Wisconsin Conference."
