By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield softball team has probably the best chance as any Tigers squad in the last 12 years to do so.
The Tigers, which won WIAA Division 1 state titles in 1991 and 1997, and also reached state in 1995 and 1998, haven’t been there since. This year’s team takes a 13-9 record into Thursday’s regional final against Antigo (15-8) with one key thing in their back pocket – home-field advantage.
By earning the No. 1 seed in the regional, the Tigers earned a first-round bye and home games in the regional final and sectional semifinal, should Marshfield beat Antigo, which finished in third place one-game behind co-Great Northern Conference champions Medford and Mosinee this season.
Marshfield was designated the host of the sectional championship game on Friday, June 11, allowing the Tigers to play all of their playoff games at home at the Central Wisconsin Fairgounds should they keep winning.
“That helps a lot playing at home and having your fans cheering you on,” Marshfield coach Mike Voss said. “Playoffs are a different atmosphere. you draw some people out that don’t come to games all the time, so it should be exciting for us.”
Having the home field doesn’t make anything a guarantee for the Tigers, who will have to beat a good Antigo team before facing either Wausau West (15-9) or D.C. Everest (18-7) in a sectional semifinal. Marshfield split a doubleheader with West and shutout D.C. Everest twice in Wisconsin Valley Conference action this year.
The other side of the sectional bracket is full of teams from the Big Rivers Conference, including champion Chippewa Falls (20-3), the No. 1 seed, and No. 2 seed Hudson (18-4), which swept a twinbill from the Tigers during the regular season. Chippewa Falls has made it to the state tournament five times in the last eight years, including last season.
Marshfield possesses solid pitching with Rhiannon Baierl, who was 7-4 in WVC action with a 3.41 ERA, and a potent lineup that scored 90 runs in 12 Valley games.
“As long as we play solid defense, make contact with the ball like we have been doing and Rhiannon is pitching the way she can pitch, I don’t see why we can’t at least make it to sectionals,” Voss said. “Hopefully they have that confidence going into the playoffs and know that they can do it.”
The lineup is charged by senior leadoff hitter Andie Varsho, who won her fourth-straight WVC batting title with a .651 average (28-for-43). Varsho also led the conference with 10 doubles, 21 runs scored and 18 stolen bases, and was tied for sixth in RBIs with 13.
Sophomore shortstop Taylor Varsho hits third in the lineup and tied for fifth in RBIs with 14 and was sixth in batting with a .477 average (21-for-44).
Raelyn Wingert (.342) and Becky Boehning (.323) also hit over .300 during the conference season.
“I feel real confident. Definitely we have the type of team that can win our first game and get into sectionals,” Voss said. “Once you get to that point, you never know. It seems like it is who has the most confidence and playing well (in the playoffs). Offensively, we have the bats. The bottom of the batting order came up with some big hits for us – the top of the order seems to do it quite a bit for us. Everybody’s contributing right now.”
Marshfield Sectional
Regional finals, Thursday
No. 4 Antigo (15-8) at No. 1 Marshfield (13-9), 4:30 p.m.
No. 3 Wausau West (15-9) at No. 2 D.C. Everest (18-7), 4:30 p.m.
No. 4 Menomonie (13-9) at No. 1 Chippewa Falls (20-3), 5 p.m.
No. 3 Eau Claire North (14-7) at No. 2 Hudson (18-4), 4:30 p.m.
Sectional semifinals, Tuesday (top seed hosts)
Antigo/Marshfield winner vs. West/Everest winner
Menomonie/Chip. Falls winner vs. North/Hudson winner
Sectional championship
Friday, June 11 at Marshfield Central Wisconsin Fairgounds, 5 p.m.
WIAA State Softball Tournament
June 17-19 at Madison
