One of the attractions of baseball is its unpredictability; no one can say for sure what might happen in any given game.
We've all seen major-league teams get shut out by a journeyman with a 6.50 earned-run average or someone just up from the minor leagues, then come back and knock around a pitcher the caliber of Brandon Webb or Johan Santana the next night. You never know.
As proven again last week, softball can also serve up some real stunners.
One of the biggest of recent years came in a WIAA Division 1 regional final game last week when Muskego downed top-seeded and state-ranked Racine Case and its all-state pitcher, Alissa Koch.
Just five days earlier, Koch was absolutely dominant against that same Warrior team, hurling a one-hitter and striking out 20, meaning only one out required any fielding.
There was little reason to suspect a different outcome when the Warriors again went up against Koch, who was the state player of the year last season and who will play for the University of Minnesota next year.
What a difference there was, though, in the rematch as Muskego collected six hits, scored in four different innings and ended Koch's brilliant career with a shattering 5-1 defeat.
The Warriors showed right away there would be no carryover from the earlier game when they tallied twice in the first inning on an RBI single from Cassie Holt and run-scoring groundout by Allison Mayer.
"After striking out 20 times, to score right away (against Koch) made all the difference," veteran Muskego coach John Rosenberg said.
He added that his hitters made a few key adjustments, saying, "We told the girls to lay off the high pitch, and our selection of swings was better."
Rosenberg also knew that because Koch had struck out so many batters this season, her fielders had not had the chance to make as many plays as normal. "I knew we just needed to put the ball in play and make them make plays, and they did make a few errors," he said.
There was one more big reason behind the upset. "I told the girls that no matter how good a player is, a team always beats one," he said. "We played as a team and we bested one player."
The victory caught the attention of one interested observer, Greenfield coach Jack Miller, who said, "That was a huge step for Muskego's program."
Miller's team is joining Muskego in the Waterford Sectional on Thursday, May 29. The Hustlin' Hawks will take on Pius XI, while Muskego will meet Southeast Conference rival Oak Creek, with both games at 1:30 p.m. If Greenfield and Muskego both win, they would meet at 4 p.m. that day for a trip to the state tournament next week in Madison.
One thing for sure: Muskego (12-8) is coming into the sectional on an all-time high.
