This story is sponsored by: All Insurance of Marshfield
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield Chaparrals amateur baseball team ran their record to 5-3 and their Dairyland League ledger to 4-1 by downing the Medford Moondogs 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Jack Hackman Field.
The Moondogs struck first in their half of the first inning when second batter, Trenton Woebbeking, chopped a ball to shortstop and beat it out for an infield single off Chaparrals starting pitcher Bobby Pilz. Taylor Reinhart bounced out to Pilz, but Woebbeking got to second and with two outs Brent Mueller nailed the first of his three singles to plate Woebbeking and the Moondogs led 1-0.
The Chaps got that run back in their half of the first when Justin Rayburn led off with a walk. Kyle Westhuis followed with the first of his four bases on balls and Rayburn scored when Nate McDonald lashed a run-scoring single to tie the game at 1-1.
Nick Anderson started the Chaparrals’ second inning with a walk. After two strikeouts, Westhuis walked again, as did McDonald. Luke Wirtz’s single scored Anderson and Westhuis as McDonald was thrown out at third on a close play at third, and Marshfield led 3-1.
It stayed that way until the fourth when Pilz allowed a lead-off single to Muelller and another to Mike Delzer. Kole Karaba executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. Chubs Guden drove the base runners in with a single and Pilz got out of the jam three batters later with a pop-up to the catcher with the game tied 3-3.
The Chaps took the lead for good when Sam Schwanebeck led off with a rope down the left field line. After Jason Kurth hit a ball to first that was clearly foul but called fair, moving Schwanebeck to second, O’Connell singled. Schwanebeck, laboring as he walked into third base, was replaced by Jacob Neve who scored when Nick Anderson bounced into a fielder’s choice to score what turned out to be the winning run.
Pilz knuckled down with the lead, striking out three of the last five batters he faced. He struck out eight on the day with four walks, surrendering five hits with three runs, two of which were earned.
The Chaps picked up an insurance run in the eighth when O’Connell got his third hit of the game, a single, and scored four batters later when Westhuis’ groundball was misplayed by the second baseman and again by the right fielder to put the Marshfield lead to 5-3.
Kade Lancour replaced Pilz in the seventh and things went well until an interesting ninth.
After a leadoff strikeout, Lancour surrendered a single to Ben Lindner. Woebbeking walked. A wild pitch by Lancour sent catcher O’Connell to the cavernous Hackman Field backstop. Lindner tried for third but was gunned down by O’Connell, giving the Chaps a huge break as Reinhart followed with a single. Woebbeking died on third as Mueller bounced to the second baseman Wirtz to end the game.
“This was one of the first clean defensive games we’ve played all year,” said player/manager Justin Rayburn. “Plus, it was behind a good pitching performance by Bobby (Pilz).”
Pilz got the win on the mound with Lancour earning a three-inning save.
O’Connell went 3-for-5 with a double and Wirtz was 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the win for Marshfield.
The Chaps are busy this week with a home game against Plover on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. before hitting the road at Rib Lake on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and a make-up game at Everest on Saturday at 2 p.m. Marshfield finishes off the week against Whittlesey next Sunday, July 14, at 5 p.m.
Chaparrals 5, Moondogs 3
Medford 100 200 000 – 3 9 2
Marshfield 120 010 01x – 5 8 0
WP: Bobby Pilz. LP: Trenton Woebbeking. SV: Kade Lancour.
SO: Taylor Reinhart (3 1/3 in.) 5, Woebbeking (4 2/3 inn.) 3; Pilz (6 inn.) 8, Lancour (3 inn.) 3. BB: Reinhart 7, Woebbeking 1; Pilz 4, Lancour 2.
Top hitters: MED, Brent Mueller 3×5 RBI; Kole Karaba 1×3, 2B. MAR, Shawn O’Connell 3×4, 2B; Luke Wirtz 2×3, 2 RBIs.
Records: Medford 1-4 Dairyland League; Marshfield- 5-3 overall; 4-1 Dairyland League.