By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – It took six days to finish, but the Marshfield baseball team was finally able to wrap up a win over D.C. Everest.
The Tigers led 5-1 in the bottom of the first inning last Tuesday when the game was suspended due to a thunderstorm that rolled through the area and dumped one-half inch of rain on Marshfield in 20 minutes.
Play resumed Monday at Jack Hackman Field and Marshfield finished off the victory, outscoring the Evergreens 5-4 over the remaining six innings to post a 10-5 Wisconsin Valley Conference victory.
The victory pushes Marshfield back over the .500 mark in conference play at 4-3 and evens the Tigers up with Everest and Wisconsin Rapids, which lost to Wausau West. The three teams are tied with 3-2 Stevens Point for second place in the WVC standings behind 5-2 Rhinelander, which Marshfield is scheduled to play on Tuesday.
“The best thing was tonight we played six innings and still came out on top 5-4,” Marshfield coach Mark Zee said. “Obviously, we came in 5-1, but we won 5-4 tonight at our park. That’s good because we’ve been struggling our last couple of games. I’m really proud of the way the kids responded.”
The Tigers built the 5-1 lead when the game started on May 4 as Brett Baur had a sacrifice fly, Austin Littman knocked in a run on a single, Nick Treankler had a two-run single and Colin Telin scored on an error.
Everest got on the board first Tuesday when the game resumed on an RBI double by Ty Messerschmidt, but the Tigers responded.
Littman had another RBI single and Brian Brost knocked in a run with a groundout to put Marshfield up 7-2.
Marshfield extended the lead to 10-2 with three runs in the fourth inning. Telin had a two-run single and Treankler added another RBI single as the Tigers took control.
Pitcher Elliot Ashbeck, who struggled through the second inning but stranded the bases loaded, settled down after that. Ashbeck allowed just one hit and one walk over the next two innings before Everest struck for two runs in the fifth.
A diving catch by right fielder Nick Anderson turned into a double play when he threw out a runner at first base to help keep the rally to a minimum.
Ashbeck allowed another unearned run in the sixth but the Evergreens never threatened for more and were retired in order in the seventh. He finished with six strikeouts and four walks, and did exactly what Zee wanted.
“It really helped out us because we have Sully (Luepke) and all seven of his innings (Tuesday) against Rhinelander,” Zee said. “He was ready to go in the bullpen if we needed him, but we didn’t.
“(Ashbeck) struggled a little in the first inning, but got into a rhythm and there were some really nice plays made behind him.”
Littman finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Trankler was 2-for-4 with three RBIs for Marshfield.
With the Valley standings so tight – six of the seven teams are within two games of first place – it’s obvious that every game is important from here on out. A chance to knock off first-place Rhinelander is just want the Tigers want at this point of the season.
“I think weather is maybe going to play a factor,” Zee said. “I think there are some really good pitchers out there and anytime you have teams going against each other with their ones and twos (in the pitching rotation), you are going to get some good ballgames. You just don’t know how things will get pushed together with games moving around (because of postponements).”
Tigers 10, Evergreens 5
D.C. Everest 110 021 0 – 5 8 3
Marshfield 520 300 x – 10 8 3
WP: Elliot Ashbeck. LP: Josh Hoekstra.
SO: Jo. Hoekstra 0, Jared Hoekstra 1, Tom Fish 2; Ashbeck 6. BB: Jo. Hoekstra 2, Ja. Hoekstra 3, Fish 0; Ashbeck 4.
Top hitters: DCE, Ryley Carstenson 2 RBIs; Ty Messerschmidt 2-for-3, 2B. M, Josh Lutz 2B, 3 runs; Austin Littman 3-for-3, 2 RBIs; Brian Brost 2 runs; Colin Telin 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Nick Treankler 2-for-4, 3 RBIs.
Records: D.C. Everest 8-8, 4-3 Wisconsin Valley; Marshfield 4-12, 4-3 Wisconsin Valley.
