MONROE - River Valley sophomore pitcher Kylie Hoffman and Laura Schmidt snapped the curse that has been the Cheesemakers stunning No. 1 seed Monroe 2-1 in a WIAA Division 2 regional championship game Thursday at Twining Park.
Hoffman pitched a complete game eight-hitter and Schmidt had a two-run single up the middle in the sixth inning off Monroe sophomore pitcher Natalie Dillon to beat the Cheesemakers and spoil their run for a fourth straight state appearance. The Blackhawks (21-6) and Cheesemakers (24-4) have played five of the last six years and Monroe had won four previous games including three regional titles. With the win, River Valley (21-6) advances to the sectional for the first time in 12 years when the Blackhawks finished as the Division 2 state runner-up in 2002.
Monroe, ranked No. 4 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll, had the lead-off hitter on five of the seven innings, but finished 0-for-12 hitting with runners in scoring position and left eight on base. Monroe players still felt the sting after having its string of seven straight regional titles snapped.
"It's not the way anyone wanted or expected it to end," said Monroe senior Ellie Grossen who went 1-for-2 with two walks and scored the only Cheesemakers' run in the first inning on a wild throw down to third base. "We knew we had to score more than one run. You always have to play your best. We just couldn't get the timely hit or play to win it. We have to give credit to them (River Valley). They came out to play today."
River Valley coach Jane Briehl was excited to overcome the hurdle the Cheesemakers have been the last six years.
"Monroe is an outstanding team," Briehl said. "They are the best offensive team we have faced this year. It's nice to finally get a win against a great program like Monroe. I know we were pretty lucky. I know the harder we work the luckier we get."
Hoffman also helped the Blackhawks with her bat bouncing a single to left in the sixth. River Valley's Taylor Briehl reached on an error and Dillon walked Taylor Genthe. Schmidt followed, banging a two-run single up the middle to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead.
"Natalie pitched well enough for us to win," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We just didn't get the timely hits with runners in scoring position. It would have been nice to attack the No. 6 hitter (Genthe), but after she fell behind 2-0 we didn't want her to throw one down the middle. In hindsight, I should have had her throw a riseball or changeup. We went with a fastball because we didn't want to go to 3-2, and she banged it up the middle."
The Cheesemakers threatened to score just about every inning. One golden scoring opportunity came in the sixth. Monroe senior Kirsten Vetterli, who went 2-for-3, led off with a single up the middle. Dillon laid down a bunt that landed right in front of home plate that she appeared to beat out for a single. However, the home plate umpire called her out after he ruled the ball had hit the bat after the bunt. Instead of runners at first and third with no outs, the Cheesemakers had one runner on first with one out. Hoffman was able to get pinch-hitter Kaylea Ambrose to ground out to second and got senior Katie Holmes to pop out to left.
Buvid said Dillon's bunt being ruled that it hit the bat was a tough break.
"If it did it just barely glanced off of it," Buvid said. "I didn't see it that way. That is a non-issue if we get the job done with runners in scoring position."
Monroe senior Sam Hose went 2-for-2 and senior Chandra McGuire was 2-for-4. Hoffman was able to wiggle out of two on, no out jams in the first and fifth. Grossen and McGuire both singled in the first. After Grossen scored on an error, Hoffman got senior Kayla Updike to pop out to left and she struck out senior Taylor O'Leksy and junior Kari Jordan.
"We have had a very good offensive season," McGuire said. "We were seeded higher and expected to win. We just didn't get the timely hits. That is the way the game goes sometimes. It definitely hurts a lot to know that we had a good chance to go to state. There are a lot of athletes that don't get a chance to go to state once in their career."
In the fifth, Grossen led off with a single to right and McGuire lined a single to left. Updike grounded out and Hoffman struck out O'Leksy. She then got Jordan to pop out to first base.
"We were fortunate when runners got on base Kylie (Hoffman) toughened up," Briehl said. "She has great poise. She's a competitor through and through. Every time we have faced adversity this year when the tough get going she gets tougher. She has the best mentality of a pitcher I have had since Megan McGuire when we were the state runner-up in 2002."
Hoffman pitched a complete game eight-hitter and Schmidt had a two-run single up the middle in the sixth inning off Monroe sophomore pitcher Natalie Dillon to beat the Cheesemakers and spoil their run for a fourth straight state appearance. The Blackhawks (21-6) and Cheesemakers (24-4) have played five of the last six years and Monroe had won four previous games including three regional titles. With the win, River Valley (21-6) advances to the sectional for the first time in 12 years when the Blackhawks finished as the Division 2 state runner-up in 2002.
Monroe, ranked No. 4 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll, had the lead-off hitter on five of the seven innings, but finished 0-for-12 hitting with runners in scoring position and left eight on base. Monroe players still felt the sting after having its string of seven straight regional titles snapped.
"It's not the way anyone wanted or expected it to end," said Monroe senior Ellie Grossen who went 1-for-2 with two walks and scored the only Cheesemakers' run in the first inning on a wild throw down to third base. "We knew we had to score more than one run. You always have to play your best. We just couldn't get the timely hit or play to win it. We have to give credit to them (River Valley). They came out to play today."
River Valley coach Jane Briehl was excited to overcome the hurdle the Cheesemakers have been the last six years.
"Monroe is an outstanding team," Briehl said. "They are the best offensive team we have faced this year. It's nice to finally get a win against a great program like Monroe. I know we were pretty lucky. I know the harder we work the luckier we get."
Hoffman also helped the Blackhawks with her bat bouncing a single to left in the sixth. River Valley's Taylor Briehl reached on an error and Dillon walked Taylor Genthe. Schmidt followed, banging a two-run single up the middle to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead.
"Natalie pitched well enough for us to win," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We just didn't get the timely hits with runners in scoring position. It would have been nice to attack the No. 6 hitter (Genthe), but after she fell behind 2-0 we didn't want her to throw one down the middle. In hindsight, I should have had her throw a riseball or changeup. We went with a fastball because we didn't want to go to 3-2, and she banged it up the middle."
The Cheesemakers threatened to score just about every inning. One golden scoring opportunity came in the sixth. Monroe senior Kirsten Vetterli, who went 2-for-3, led off with a single up the middle. Dillon laid down a bunt that landed right in front of home plate that she appeared to beat out for a single. However, the home plate umpire called her out after he ruled the ball had hit the bat after the bunt. Instead of runners at first and third with no outs, the Cheesemakers had one runner on first with one out. Hoffman was able to get pinch-hitter Kaylea Ambrose to ground out to second and got senior Katie Holmes to pop out to left.
Buvid said Dillon's bunt being ruled that it hit the bat was a tough break.
"If it did it just barely glanced off of it," Buvid said. "I didn't see it that way. That is a non-issue if we get the job done with runners in scoring position."
Monroe senior Sam Hose went 2-for-2 and senior Chandra McGuire was 2-for-4. Hoffman was able to wiggle out of two on, no out jams in the first and fifth. Grossen and McGuire both singled in the first. After Grossen scored on an error, Hoffman got senior Kayla Updike to pop out to left and she struck out senior Taylor O'Leksy and junior Kari Jordan.
"We have had a very good offensive season," McGuire said. "We were seeded higher and expected to win. We just didn't get the timely hits. That is the way the game goes sometimes. It definitely hurts a lot to know that we had a good chance to go to state. There are a lot of athletes that don't get a chance to go to state once in their career."
In the fifth, Grossen led off with a single to right and McGuire lined a single to left. Updike grounded out and Hoffman struck out O'Leksy. She then got Jordan to pop out to first base.
"We were fortunate when runners got on base Kylie (Hoffman) toughened up," Briehl said. "She has great poise. She's a competitor through and through. Every time we have faced adversity this year when the tough get going she gets tougher. She has the best mentality of a pitcher I have had since Megan McGuire when we were the state runner-up in 2002."
