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MARSHFIELD – Sophie Heller had a pinch-hit two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to push Chippewa Falls past Marshfield 4-3 in a WIAA Division 1 softball sectional semifinal Tuesday at the Marshfield Fairgrounds.
The Cardinals (20-6) will play Stevens Point (22-6) in a Division 1 sectional final at D.C. Everest on Thursday. The winner moves on to the 2019 WIAA State Softball Tournament in Madison next week.
Chippewa Falls took a 2-0 lead in the third on RBI singles by Nicole Crumbaker and Alisia Palms.
Marshfield struck back in the fourth, scoring three times to take the lead.
Chippewa Falls pitcher Mallory Sterling had seven strikeouts as she worked out of jams in the first three innings before the Tigers (16-10) finally got to her in the fourth.
Jordan Pretsch smacked a two-run single to score Lydia Schaefer and Jenna Jakobi. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Pretsch scored on a wild pitch to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
The score remained 3-2 until the Cardinals rallied in the seventh. Sterling led off with a double and after a pop out, Abby Staves was hit by a pitch.
Crumbaker singled to load the bases before Heller delivered a single down the left-field line to plate two runs and put Chippewa Falls ahead.
Maddie Mews was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh and Brooklyn Bohman came in to pinch run. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Madalen Bornbach, but was stranded as Crumbaker got a fly out to center and a pop up to left to end the game.
Crumbaker struck out three and didn’t allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win for the Cardinals.
Courtney Donahue suffered the loss for Marshfield. She finished with four strikeouts and one walk, giving up 10 hits.
Jenna Jakobi and Rhiannon Corozolla each had two hits for the Tigers, who had six in all.
Cardinals 4, Tigers 3
Chippewa Falls 002 000 2 – 4 10 0
Marshfield 000 300 0 – 3 6 1
WP: Nicole Crumbaker. LP: Courtney Donahue.
SO: Mallory Sterling (4 1/3 inn.) 9, Crumbaker (2 2/3 inn.) 3; Donahue 4. BB: Sterling 5, Crumbaker 0; Donahue 1.
Top hitters: CF, Sterling 2B, run; Abby Staves 2×3; Crumbaker 3×4, RBI; Sophie Heller 1×1, 2 RBIs. M, Jenna Jakobi 2×3; Jordan Pretsch 1×4, 2 RBIs; Rhiannon Corozolla 2×3, 2B.
Records: Chippewa Falls 20-6; Marshfield 16-10.