This story is sponsored by: The University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Wausau East shortstop Cole Nelson had a put out and five assists Wednesday without committing an error, but no play he made was more important than one he made that didn’t result in an out.
Nelson made a diving stop on an infield single by Caleb Alexander with two runners on in the bottom of the sixth, saving the tying run from being scored.
East pitcher Walter Grau retired the next batter with the bases loaded and sent the Tigers down in order in the seventh inning to preserve a 4-3 win for the Lumberjacks in a Wisconsin Valley Conference baseball game at Jack Hackman Field.
The loss drops Marshfield into a tie for sixth in the conference at 1-4 and 3-7 overall. East won its first WVC game and improves to 4-4 and 1-4 in the conference.
“We’ve got to keep trying to manufacture runs and get some momentum and clutch up,” Marshfield coach Mark Zee said. “We’ve been leaving a lot of guys on bases with two outs, and we just have to come up with that big two-out hit. They made every play and we didn’t make every play.”
Marshfield fell behind 3-0 after East plated three runs in the top of the third against Tigers starter Alex Steines. Willy Brand had an RBI double and Tyler Koehler and Adam Urmanski had RBI singles to put East on top.
Jack Donahue entered with the bases loaded and one out and invoked a 4-6-3 double play to get out the jam.
Marshfield struck back in the fourth, scoring three times with two outs. Daulton Varsho doubled off the first base bag, Bo Howard followed with an RBI single and Jeron Hiller singled. Howard and Hiller converted a double steal to plate another run and Alexander tied it with an RBI single to score Hiller from second.
Donahue sent down the first nine Lumberjacks he faced before they finally broke through in the sixth. With two outs, Grau singled and pinch runner Zach Waack scored on a double by Eric Daniel to put East up 4-3. Those were the only two hits allowed by Donahue.
“He came in there with bases loaded and rolled the double play ball, and kept them in check until the sixth,” Zee said of Donahue’s performance. “That’s what he’s been doing. He’s been coming in in some tough situations and getting us out of some stuff.”
Marshfield tried to mount a rally in the sixth, loading the bases on a double by Howard, a walk and the infield single by Alexander. Grau was able to get out of the inning with a fly ball to right field by Luke Wirtz.
Marshfield returns to action Thursday at home against Wisconsin Rapids. The game starts at 5 p.m. at Hackman Field.
Lumberjacks 4, Tigers 3
Wausau East 003 001 0 – 4 8 0
Marshfield 000 300 0 – 3 8 2
WP: Walter Grau. LP: Jack Donahue.
SO: Grau 3; Alex Steines 0, Donahue 5. BB: Grau 1; Steines 1, Donahue 0.
Top hitters: WE, Willy Brand 1×4, 2B, run, RBI; Eric Daniel 1×3, 2B, RBI. M, Bo Howard 3×3, 2B, run, RBI; Caleb Alexander 2×3, RBI.
Records: Wausau East 4-4, 1-4 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 3-7, 1-4 WVC.