MONROE - With the bases loaded and two outs in a tie game in the bottom of the seventh inning, Monroe senior Garrett Gogin's snap decision to stay on third base when the ball got away from Milton's catcher gave the Cheesemakers a second life.
The decision paid off as senior teammate Brent Edmunds coaxed a walk-off walk off Milton pitcher Brett Brandenburg to give the Cheesemakers a 6-5 win over the Red Hawks on Friday. Gogin's patience made a difference in helping the Cheesemakers (11-12, 6-5 Badger South) snap a five-game losing streak.
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said when the Cheesemakers get a runner on third base he gives the player the power to decide whether he will score on a passed ball or wild pitch.
"Any time one of our guys is on third base, it's on them," Huffman said. "By the time I say something and they hear it it's too late. I talked to Garrett about it, and he didn't feel like he saw it clearly and didn't get a get a good enough jump. You don't want to make the last out at the plate."
Monroe senior Jaron Kuester went 3-for-3 with two RBI and was intentionally walked once. Kuester was excited to see the Cheesemakers start a new streak with WIAA postseason play looming.
"We have been on a losing streak," Kuester said. "We wanted to come back and get on a winning streak before the playoffs. It feels great. It gets our confidence back up for the playoffs."
The Cheesemakers started off strong in the first inning. Monroe junior Carter Sawdey, who went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, singled to left. He stole second base and then moved to third on a wild pitch. The Red Hawks intentionally walked Kuester, and then Kuester stole second and Sawdey scored when the throw sailed into center field to tie the game at 1.
Milton regained the lead in the third. Milton's Chase Davis singled off Monroe junior starting pitcher Brad Ripp and then stole second. Milton's Nick Cadd followed with an RBI single to right to give the Red Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Ripp worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. He picked off Milton's Taylor Prochazka at second base and then Davis hit a hard line drive off his glove that left his hand stinging. Ripp shook off being hit and got Cadd to ground into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
The Red Hawks got the leadoff batter on in four of the seven innings. Milton pounded out 14 hits and went 5-for-11 at the plate with runners in scoring position but left eight runners on base. Milton's Drew Hermanson was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers, going 4-for-4. Milton's Gavin Williams and Prochazka were both 3-for-4 with two RBI.
"We got some big hits in big situations," Huffman said. "We got some big pitches in big situations, too."
The Cheesemakers scored two runs in the third. Sawdey led off by lining a single to left. Gogin reached on an error. Kuester came through with an RBI infield single to score Sawdey to tie the game at 2. Junior Hogan Edwards knocked in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead.
Ripp pitched four innings and gave up two runs on eight hits. He struck out one and didn't issue a walk. Junior Hunter Weckerly pitched 21⁄3 innings in relief and gave up two runs on four hits. Edwards came in during the seventh and pitched 2⁄3 of an inning to get the win.
Prochozka crushed a two-run game-tying triple to left center off Edwards to tie the game at 5. That set the stage for the seventh inning for the Cheesemakers.
Despite seeing the Red Hawks rally to tie the game in the top of the seventh, Kuester didn't doubt his team's ability to come back to win.
"I don't think we are ever out of a game," Kuester said. "Anyone on our team can clutch up and get a big hit. That's what we do. It feels like we always have a shot."
Monroe will close out the regular season on Monday at Stoughton. Huffman wants to see the Cheesemakers ride the adrenaline of another walk-off win.
"Any time you get a walk-off win it's a bonus," he said. "To get back to 11-12 and over .500 in the conference is big. Getting back over .500 in conference was our goal. It's been a long, long time since we have finished above .500 in the conference."
The decision paid off as senior teammate Brent Edmunds coaxed a walk-off walk off Milton pitcher Brett Brandenburg to give the Cheesemakers a 6-5 win over the Red Hawks on Friday. Gogin's patience made a difference in helping the Cheesemakers (11-12, 6-5 Badger South) snap a five-game losing streak.
Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said when the Cheesemakers get a runner on third base he gives the player the power to decide whether he will score on a passed ball or wild pitch.
"Any time one of our guys is on third base, it's on them," Huffman said. "By the time I say something and they hear it it's too late. I talked to Garrett about it, and he didn't feel like he saw it clearly and didn't get a get a good enough jump. You don't want to make the last out at the plate."
Monroe senior Jaron Kuester went 3-for-3 with two RBI and was intentionally walked once. Kuester was excited to see the Cheesemakers start a new streak with WIAA postseason play looming.
"We have been on a losing streak," Kuester said. "We wanted to come back and get on a winning streak before the playoffs. It feels great. It gets our confidence back up for the playoffs."
The Cheesemakers started off strong in the first inning. Monroe junior Carter Sawdey, who went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, singled to left. He stole second base and then moved to third on a wild pitch. The Red Hawks intentionally walked Kuester, and then Kuester stole second and Sawdey scored when the throw sailed into center field to tie the game at 1.
Milton regained the lead in the third. Milton's Chase Davis singled off Monroe junior starting pitcher Brad Ripp and then stole second. Milton's Nick Cadd followed with an RBI single to right to give the Red Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Ripp worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. He picked off Milton's Taylor Prochazka at second base and then Davis hit a hard line drive off his glove that left his hand stinging. Ripp shook off being hit and got Cadd to ground into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
The Red Hawks got the leadoff batter on in four of the seven innings. Milton pounded out 14 hits and went 5-for-11 at the plate with runners in scoring position but left eight runners on base. Milton's Drew Hermanson was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers, going 4-for-4. Milton's Gavin Williams and Prochazka were both 3-for-4 with two RBI.
"We got some big hits in big situations," Huffman said. "We got some big pitches in big situations, too."
The Cheesemakers scored two runs in the third. Sawdey led off by lining a single to left. Gogin reached on an error. Kuester came through with an RBI infield single to score Sawdey to tie the game at 2. Junior Hogan Edwards knocked in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to give the Cheesemakers a 3-2 lead.
Ripp pitched four innings and gave up two runs on eight hits. He struck out one and didn't issue a walk. Junior Hunter Weckerly pitched 21⁄3 innings in relief and gave up two runs on four hits. Edwards came in during the seventh and pitched 2⁄3 of an inning to get the win.
Prochozka crushed a two-run game-tying triple to left center off Edwards to tie the game at 5. That set the stage for the seventh inning for the Cheesemakers.
Despite seeing the Red Hawks rally to tie the game in the top of the seventh, Kuester didn't doubt his team's ability to come back to win.
"I don't think we are ever out of a game," Kuester said. "Anyone on our team can clutch up and get a big hit. That's what we do. It feels like we always have a shot."
Monroe will close out the regular season on Monday at Stoughton. Huffman wants to see the Cheesemakers ride the adrenaline of another walk-off win.
"Any time you get a walk-off win it's a bonus," he said. "To get back to 11-12 and over .500 in the conference is big. Getting back over .500 in conference was our goal. It's been a long, long time since we have finished above .500 in the conference."
