This story is sponsored by: Chili Implement
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – After a rough first inning for Marshfield Post 54 starting pitcher Aden Cherney, the right-hander settled in and waited for his offense to make up for it.
The Blue Devils did, scoring three times in the fifth inning to forge ahead. Cherney did the rest, shutting down Manitowoc after the opening frame as Marshfield pulled out a 4-3 win in an elimination game Wednesday morning at the 2024 Wisconsin Class AAA American Legion Baseball State Tournament at Lincoln High School.
Marshfield (20-21) survives to play another day and will take on a familiar foe, Wisconsin Rapids, in another elimination game Thursday at 4 p.m. Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids met three times at last week’s regional, with Rapids winning twice, including the regional championship game.
Two walks and an error loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first inning for Manitowoc. After a fielder’s choice bouncer to third baseman Chase Robinson resulted in a force out at home plate, Manitowoc’s Gavin Lettenberger smacked a single up the middle to plate two runs. A sacrifice fly tacked on a third and Manitowoc led 3-0 before Marshfield had a chance to bat.
Cherney was unfazed, working around three hit batters and an error to keep Manitowoc hitless over the next four innings.
Marshfield was able to get on the scoreboard in the third as Blake Raab went to second on an error, moved up to third on a fly out and scored on another by Owen Griesbach, cutting the Blue Devils’ deficit to 3-1.
Manitowoc pitcher Seth Gibeault was cruising along as well until the Blue Devils got hot in the fifth.
Mac Konieczny and Jakob Sadowska had back-to-back doubles, but Konieczny was unable to score on the second one as he had to wait on the base paths to see the pop fly drop. It didn’t matter as Raab smacked a single to right to send home Konieczny.
Raab stole second and throw got away, allowing Sadowska to score to tie the game and Raab to move to third. On the next pitch, Robinson ripped a single up the middle to give the Blue Devils a 4-3 lead.
Despite a walk and another error, Gibeault was able to wiggle out of the inning with no further damage.
Cherney worked around a leadoff single in the sixth as the next batter lined into a double play. In the seventh, two-straight Manitowoc singles put him in trouble again, but he was able to coax a grounder to Raab for a double play and another grounder to the Marshfield shortstop to end it, keeping the Blue Devils’ season alive.
Sadowska had two of Marshfield’s seven hits.
Cherney finished with a complete-game four-hitter, allowing just the two first-inning walks and striking out two.
Marshfield 4, Manitowoc 3
Manitowoc 300 000 0 – 3 4 3
Marshfield 001 030 x – 4 7 2
WP: Aden Cherney. LP: Seth Gibeault.
SO: Gibeault 3; Cherney 2. BB: Gibeault 2; Cherney 2.
Top hitters: MAN, Gavin Lettenberger 2×3, 2 RBI. MAR, Blake Raab 1×4, 2 runs, RBI; Jakob Sadowska 2×3, 2B, run; Mac Konieczny 2B, run.
Records: Manitowoc 22-7; Marshfield 20-21.
Wisconsin Class AAA American Legion Baseball State Tournament
July 30-Aug. 3, at Lincoln High School, Wisconsin Rapids
Tuesday, July 30
Game 1: De Pere 8, Manitowoc 1
Game 2: Milwaukee 3, Middleton 2
Game 3: Eau Claire 5, Marshfield 4
Game 4: Wisconsin Rapids 5, Oshkosh 4 (11 inn.)
Wednesday, July 31
Game 5: Marshfield 4, Manitowoc 3 (Manitowoc eliminated)
Game 6: Middleton 3, Oshkosh 1 (Oshkosh eliminated)
Game 7: Eau Claire 4, De Pere 0
Game 8: Milwaukee 6, Wisconsin Rapids 4
Thursday, Aug. 1
Game 9: Middleton vs. De Pere, 1 p.m.
Game 10: Marshfield vs. Wisconsin Rapids, 4 p.m.
Game 11: Eau Claire vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 2
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 loser, 4 p.m.
Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3
Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 15: Repeat if Game 14 loser suffers first loss, 7 p.m.
(Notes: Pairings for Games 12 and 13 will not match previous opponents unless necessary; If three teams remain after Game 13, the winner of Game 11 draws by into Game 14)
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