This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
The Marshfield Chaparrals earned two must wins this weekend to keep its postseason hopes alive.
Marshfield pounded out 20 hits to beat Tomahawk 13-6 on the road on Friday, and came through with a 3-1 win over the Spirit Twins at home on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday’s Game
Marshfield 3, Spirit 1
MARSHFIELD – A night after bashing out 20 hits in Tomahawk, the Marshfield Chaparrals returned home to face Spirit and could only manage four.
One thing the two games had in common however, is that they both ended as Dairyland League ‘Ws’ for the Chaps as they downed the Twins 3-1.
It was the Chaps fifth-straight win as they raised their record to 10-7 and 7-5 in the Dairyland League.
Cale Cuddie made his first start of the season for the Chaps on the hill and did an admirable job pitching five innings, striking out five with a pair of walks, while scattering just four hits. He allowed just one run, that coming in the third when Spirit lead-off man Dayne Marenga singled and moved to second on Matt Mohr’s walk. After an out, Derek Petrucalek hit a ball to shallow center that turned into a fielder’s choice but Marenga scored and it was 1-0.
The Chaps got that run back in their half of the third when Nate MacDonald hit a one-out double. Bobby Pilz reached on an error. MacDonald scored an unearned run on the errant throw and the game was tied.
Meanwhile, Spirit starter Jake Borman was effectively baffling the Chaps holding them scoreless in innings four through seven.
Pilz replaced Cuddie in the sixth and struck out two of the four batters he faced. In the seventh it was 1-2-3 and the eighth saw three ground outs to second base wrapped around a single to right.
The Chaps finally made their move in the eighth. MacDonald led off with a single bringing Pilz to the plate. Pilz promptly lashed a pitch to right centerfield that got to the wall for a triple. Curt Englebrecht was hit by a pitch and Pilz scored on a suicide bunt by Sam Schwanebeck to put Marshfield up 3-1.
That momentum seemed to be enough for Pilz in the ninth, although the lead-off man reached on an infield handle shot. After an error and a fielder’s choice, Pilz got a strike out, hit a batter and coaxed a ground out for the Chaps’ 10th win of the season.
Marshfield hosts Plover on Wednesday.
Chaparrals 3, Twins 1
Spirit 001 000 000 – 1 6 4
Marshfield 001 000 02x – 3 4 1
WP: Bobby Pilz. LP: Jake Borman.
SO: Borman (9 inn.) 2; Cale Cuddie (5 inn.) 5, Pilz (4 inn.) 3. BB: Borman 3; Cuddie 2, Pilz 1.
Top hitters: S, Dave Marenga 3×4, 2B; Tom Mohr 2×4. M, Nate MacDonald 2×4, 2B; Pilz 1×4, 3B, RBI; Jack Donahue 1×4, 2B.
Records: Marshfield 10-7, 7-5 Dairyland League; Spirit not provided.
Friday’s Game
Marshfield 13, Tomahawk 6
TOMAHAWK – The Marshfield Chaparrals traveled to Tomahawk on Friday night and scored early and often, bashing out 20 hits en route to a 13-6 Dairyland League win.
“We were able to jump out to an early lead by being patient at the plate,” Chaparrals manager Sam Schwanebeck said. “Their starter was a little wild but we didn’t swing at bad pitches.”
The Chaps scored in each of the first four innings and were up 7-0 in the third before the Titans got on the scoreboard. Tomahawk starter Trevor Roszcewski got through just three innings by walking six batters, twice with the bases loaded.
The Chaps went up 13-3 in the seventh when they scored four times on five hits. The big blows were an RBI double by Ryan Metz and a two-run single by Noah Panzer.
“We got great contributions from the bottom of the order,” said Schwanebeck. “Josh and Ryan Metz both hit doubles helping us score runs and keep the lead out of reach.”
Chap starter Jack Donahue surrendered a couple runs in the seventh, his last inning of work, but he struck out 11, while walking just two, surrendering nine hits. Ryan Metz allowed just an un-earned run in his two innings on the mound, striking out three.
“Our defense was fairly solid,” concluded Schwanebeck, “and Jack pitched really well which has been our strength.”
Donahue went 4-fo- 5 at the plate with 3 RBIs. Bobby Pilz was 3-for-6 with an RBI and Alex Steines was 3-for-5 with an RBI as the Chaps got their second highest hit total of the season.
Chaparrals 13, Titans 6
Marshfield 322 101 400 – 13 20 4
Tomahawk 002 100 210 – 6 12 3
WP: Jack Donahue. LP: Trevor Roszcewski.
SO: Donahue (7 inn.) 11, Ryan Metz (2 inn.) 3; Roszcewski (3 inn.) 2, Jacob Jarvensivu (4 inn.) 0, Jared Jarvensivu (2 inn.) 2. BB: Donahue 2, Metz 1; Roszcewski 6, Jac, Jarvensivu 1.
Top hitters: T, Isaac Weber 3×5, 2B; Jared Jarvensivu 3×4, RBI. M, Donahue 4×5, 3 RBIs; Alex Steines 3×5, RBI; Bobby Pilz 3×6, RBI; Josh Metz 2×4, 2B; Sam Schwanebeck 2×4, 2B, RBI; Noah Panzer 2×5, 2 RBIs; Luke Wirtz 2×5; Ryan Metz 2×6, 2B, 3 RBIs.
Records: Marshfield 9-7, 6-5 Dairyland League; Tomahawk not reported.