BRODHEAD — Tessa Kloepping earned her Senior Night trip to Tastee Creme — Brodhead’s drive-thru ice cream spot on the city’s east side — after Thursday’s game against Edgerton.
She had a 3-for-3 night and collected three RBI while the other three Cardinals seniors — Sophie Leitzen, Jaelyn Hilliard and Jerrica Schwartz — all picked up a hit in their 12-0, run-rule-shortened win over the Crimson Tide at Brodhead High.
Hilliard reached all four times she came to the plate with three walks, and Leitzen drove in a pair of runs.
“It means a lot on Senior Night to be out here playing with the girls and just supporting one another,” Kloepping said. “I grew up playing softball with these girls, so it’s a really special night to have a dub and be celebrated with all our accomplishments.”
A couple of underclassmen also made key contributions for Brodhead, the No. 1 team in the state in Division 3.
Allie Dahl launched a three-run home run in her second at-bat after sending a pitch for a ride for an out her first time up, and junior pitcher Ava Risum struck out eight and walked none to get the shutout victory.
“I sit down here in the third-base box a lot and think, ‘If I could build a team, this is how I’d build it,’” Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said. “The way they go about things — they’re coachable; willing to learn; team players; not selfish, at least that I can tell; they show up ready to play; practice well — I’m really blessed. I know it sounds like coachspeak, but I’ve never had it like this before.”
Coming into the game, the Crimson Tide (3-10 overall, 3-7 Rock Valley) had been searching for a little consistency in all facets of the game. Brodhead is typically a difficult place for visitors to do such a thing.
Edgerton hurler Talim Kjendlie made it through the first inning OK against Brodhead, but the Cardinal hitters locked in the rest of the way.
Dahl started the second with a deep flyout to left field, but Schwartz, Tatum Ceslok and Karli Krumwiede followed with a single and two walks.
Schwartz’s courtesy runner Keegan Steinke scored after two passed balls in quick succession, which also allowed Ceslok to get to third. Kloepping brought her home with a line drive single to right field.
Up 2-0 going to the bottom of the third, Hilliard walked to led things off. Risum and Rear both had singles, the second of which was a bloop hit to left that forced Hilliard to stay close to second base and get thrown out at third when the ball dropped in safely.
That’s when Dahl came up and sent her home run over the fence in left to make it 5-0, then Kloepping extended the lead with her second run-scoring hit.
The Cardinals batted around their order in both the third and fourth innings, scoring six in the fourth, including Kloepping’s third RBI and a two-run hit to make it 12-0 from Leitzen.
“When you put a talented team like they are on base, you’re just making it hard,” Edgerton coach Tony DeWar said.
Brodhead, which is in pursuit of a second consecutive state championship, moved to 12-0 on the season (11-0 in conference) with six regular-season games left to play.
“This is a special group,” Krupke said. “Who knows what the future holds, but I hope they get a shot to make a deep run because they deserve it.”
BRODHEAD 12, EDGERTON 0 (5)
Edgerton 000 00 — 0 3 4
Brodhead 024 6X — 12 13 1
Leading hitters — Rebman (E) 2x2, Risum (B) 2x3, Ceslok (B) 2x2, Kloepping (B) 3x3. HR — Dahl (B).
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) — E: Kjendlie L, 3 2/3-13-12-5-6-2; Callmer 1/3-0-0-0-0-0. B: Risum W, 5-3-0-0-0-8.
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