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WESTON – The Marshfield Post 54 Legion baseball team knew before its game Friday night at the Class AAA Legion Baseball Regional at Simon Field at D.C. Everest High School that it would be playing for a spot in the state tournament on Saturday.
Not that Friday’s game didn’t have any meaning and the Blue Devils were not about to go down without a fight.
Marshfield fought back from a three-run deficit to cut it to one, but came up short in the end, falling to Wisconsin Rapids 4-3.
Marshfield (19-20) will play Plover (24-13) in a regional semifinal game, but more importantly that gaining a spot in the finals, the winner advances to the Class AAA State Tournament in Wisconsin Rapids beginning on Tuesday. Wisconsin Rapids, as the host team, earns an automatic spot in the state tournament field meaning the second-place team at the regional qualifies as well.
Wisconsin Rapids led 2-0 after an RBI single by Adam Bechard in the second inning and a pair of Marshfield errors led to a run in the third.
Marshfield scored once in the third on a sacrifice fly by Emmitt Konieczny before Wisconsin Rapids put up two more in the fifth on a two-run double by Gage Honeyager.
The Blue Devils came back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Bryce Erickson smacked a single to plate Owen Griesbach and Adam Gilbertson with two outs.
Josh Dekarske relieved starter Carsen Orheim and stranded two Marshfield two runners on base, then set down the Blue Devils in order in the seventh to pick up the save.
Emmitt Konieczny went 6 2/3 innings on the bump for Marshfield, striking out four and walking four, while giving up seven hits.
Rangers 4, Blue Devils 3
Wisconsin Rapids 011 020 0 – 4 7 0
Marshfield 001 002 0 – 3 8 2
WP: Carsen Orheim. LP: Emmitt Konieczny. SV: Josh Dekarske.
SO: Orheim (5 2/3 inn.) 2, Dekarske (1 1/3 inn.) 2; E. Konieczny (6 2/3 inn.) 4, Mac Konieczny (1/3 inn.) 0. BB: Orheim 1, Dekarske 0; E. Konieczny 4, M. Konieczny 1.
Top hitters: M, Bryce Erickson 2×3, 2 RBI. WR, Canon Plawman 2×3; Gage Honeyager 2×3, 2B, 2 RBI; Dekarske 2B.
Records: Marshfield 18-19; Wisconsin Rapids 20-9.
Class AAA American Legion Baseball Regional
July 24-27, at Simon Field, D.C. Everest High School
Double elimination tournament, winner qualifies for Class AAA State Tournament at Wisconsin Rapids, July 30-Aug. 3
Wednesday, July 24
Game 3: Marshfield 9, Wisconsin Rapids 1
Game 2: Wausau 6, Stevens Point 3
Game 1: Plover 3, D.C. Everest 1
Thursday, July 25
Game 4: Stevens Point 6, D.C. Everest 0
Game 5: Wisconsin Rapids 5, Plover 1
Game 6: Marshfield 5, Wausau 4
Friday, July 26
Game 7: Wisconsin Rapids 9, Stevens Point 2
Game 8: Plover 7, Wausau 3
Game 9: Wisconsin Rapids 4, Marshfield 3
Saturday, July 27
Game 10: Marshfield (18-19) vs. Plover (24-13), 4 p.m.
Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Wisconsin Rapids (20-9), 7 p.m.