By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – After playing four games in four days during a spring break trip to DisneyWorld in Florida, the Marshfield softball team had played just one game in the last two weeks heading into Saturday’s game against La Crosse Logan.
The Tigers showed no signs of rust, taking advantage of the Rangers’ wild pitching and shaky defense to post a 12-2 win during action at the Marshfield Softball Invitational at the Central Wisconsin Fairgounds.
Marshfield jumped on Logan starter Kimmeata Davis right away in the first inning, putting four runs on the board on just one hit – a two RBI single by Hayley Umhoefer. Davis had three walks and uncorked four wild pitches in the inning.
With a 4-2 lead in the third, Marshfield put four more runs on the board, again on just one hit. A pair of errors, a walk and a hit batter led to the rally. Rhiannon Baierl and Umhoefer had RBI groundouts and two runs scored when Becky Boehning reached on a two-out error, giving the Tigers an 8-2 lead.
“I didn’t know how we’d respond having been off all day long and (Logan) already playing two games,” Marshfield coach Mike Voss said. “I think we played pretty well. We had a couple of mistakes defensively, but Rhiannon did a pretty good job and got us out of those jams.”
Marshfield put the game away with two more runs in the fifth and a pair in the sixth.
Kristin Kniech had an RBI groundout and Andie Varsho delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth. In the sixth, Baierl had an RBI single and Umhoefer scored the final run on a fielder’s choice by Boehning, ending the game via the 10-run rule.
Baierl struck out five and walked three in a complete-game effort for the Tigers (4-2), who have won three in a row.
The Tigers take their win streak into Wisconsin Valley Conference action, which starts Tuesday with a home game against D.C. Everest.
“One thing we wanted to do today was get Rhiannon in position to finish a game. In Florida she didn’t throw an entire game,” Voss said. “Offensively, we were hitting the ball, making contact and making the defense make plays. As long as we’re doing that and making good choices on the base paths, I think we’ll be OK.”
In other games at the tournament, Tomahawk beat Logan 15-11 and Tomah 16-2, and Medford beat Logan 4-3 and Tomah 15-10, and lost to Tomahawk 13-0.
Tigers 12, Rangers 2
La Crosse Logan 020 000 – 2 7 4
Marshfield 404 022 – 12 7 1
WP: Rhiannon Baierl. LP: Kimmeata Davis.
SO: Davis 4, Connor Corish 0; Baierl 5. BB: Davis 7, Corish 1; Baierl 3.
Top hitters: L, Davis 3B; Calea Baxter 2-for-2. M, Andie Varsho 1-for-2, 2 BBs, RBI; Taylor Varsho 1-for-3, 3 runs; Baierl 2-3, 2 RBIs; Megan Gregorich 2 SBs, 2 runs; Hayley Umhoefer 1-for-2, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Kristin Kniech 2-for-4.
Records: Logan 1-6; Marshfield 4-2.
