By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield Columbus Catholic nearly came back from two big deficits, but couldn’t make a move on a third, and lost a wild Cloverbelt Conference East Division softball game to Spencer 25-17 on Thursday at the Central Wisconsin Fairgrounds.
Spencer led 5-0 before the Dons came to bat as Dominique Stange, Monica Stange and Erika Taylor had RBI singles in the opening inning.
Columbus came back with a four-run bottom of the first, and after falling behind 12-5, the Dons put up six in the fourth inning thanks to a Spencer error and a two-run single by Haley Orella.
However, the Rockets responded with a nine-run fifth and Columbus couldn’t make another big move.
“We seem to be adjusting to hitting, but our defense – errors have been killing us the last three games. That’s something we really need to work on, and they know it,” Columbus coach Laurel Heintz said.
Spencer had five straight singles to start the fifth, with Krystal Weier, Dominique Stange and Nicki Bruss delivering RBI singles. Taylor, who was 5-for-6 with five RBIs, cracked a two-run double and Paige Johnson, who went 4-for-5, had a two RBI single as Spencer rebuilt its lead to 21-11.
“We hit the ball really well, made adjustments on the different speeds of the two different pitchers and really sat back and hit the ball well,” Spencer coach Jason Gorst said. “(Taylor) stepped up and hit the ball hard tonight and I’m happy to see her do that. She’s somebody that’s been in and out of the lineup early. When you hit the ball like that, you’re going to be in the lineup for a while.”
Victoria Dieringer had a two-run double in the fifth and Olivia Larson had a run-scoring double in the sixth from the Dons against Dominique Stange, who relieved Bruss in the fifth. Stange slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh without allowing a run, finishing off the Rockets’ (1-3, 1-2 Cloverbelt East) first victory of the season.
“It feels good to get that first win. Hopefully we can get a streak going,” Gorst said. “We’re up at Augusta (Friday) and hopefully we can get two in a row.”
Dominique Stange also had four hits and two RBIs for Spencer, and Weier and Monica Stange each added three hits as the Rockets had 22 in all.
Orella had three hits, and Larson and Elizabeth Manlick each had two for the Dons.
Spencer returns to action Friday at Augusta, while Columbus is off until Tuesday when it hosts Owen-Withee.
Rockets 25, Dons 17
Spencer 520 591 3 – 25 22 7
Columbus 401 633 0 – 17 9 6
WP: Nicki Bruss. LP: Shawna Rhodes.
SO: Bruss 5, Dominique Stange 4; Rhodes 0, Katelyn Welsh 1. BB: Bruss 10, D. Stange 4; Rhodes 4, Welsh 2.
Top hitters: S, Deanna Szybowicz 4 runs; Paige Johnson 4-for-5, 5 runs, 2 RBIs; Krystal Weier 3-for-5, 2B, 5 runs, 3 RBIs; D. Stange 4-for-6, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Bruss 2-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Monica Stange 3-for-6, 2 runs; Erika Taylor 5-for-6, 2 2Bs, 2 runs, 5 RBIs. C, Abby Gotz 2 runs; Olivia Larson 2-for-4, 2B, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Victoria Dieringer 2B, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Elizabeth Manlick 2-for-4, 2B, 2 runs; Haley Orella 3-for-5, 2 RBIs; Rhodes 2 runs.
Records: Spencer 1-3, 1-2 Cloverbelt East; Columbus Catholic 1-3, 1-2 Cloverbelt East.
