This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
During the coming weeks, MarshfieldAreaSports.com will be highlighting area high school senior student-athletes with our Senior Salute series.
The series continues with a look at the Marshfield High School softball team.
Marshfield finished 16-10 overall and 7-5 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference last year, winning a WIAA Division 1 regional title with an 8-5 win over D.C. Everest. The Tigers’ season ended with a 4-3 loss to Chippewa Falls in the sectional semifinals.
Marshfield have four seniors returning on this year’s squad.
*Kaitlin Barth is a four-year member of the Marshfield softball program and was a four-year player for the girls tennis team as well. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the fall.
Barth’s favorite softball memory: “My favorite memory would have to be my junior year when Coach Cole put me in the outfield and I made some really good plays one inning, and at the end of that inning Coach was surprised because she thought I never played in the outfield.”
*McKenzie Manthe is a four-year softball player at Marshfield and will continue her education at North Central Technical College to study veterinary science.
Manthe’s favorite softball memory: “My favorite softball memory is when I went to Florida. Not only because of the fact that we were in Florida, just being able to be there with my team and how we all grew so close together while we were there, but being able to explore with each other. When we went to the fireworks will forever be a memory when we all linked arms so we wouldn’t lose anyone walking through tons of people, and on our way back ran all the way to the bus so we wouldn’t miss it.”
*Hailey McCanna is a four-year member of the Marshfield softball program and she also played tennis all four years of her high school career. She will attending UW-Stevens Point in the fall.
McCann’s favorite softball memory: “My favorite softball memory would have to be going to Florida to play at the ESPN complex. This trip brought me so much closer to all of the softball girls and we all had such a blast.”
*Jordan Pretsch is a four-year starter for the Marshfield softball team that won three-straight regional championships. She played shortstop the past three seasons and was in the transition to making the move to center field this year. Pretsch was a second-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection in 2018 and a first-team pick in 2019. She will be pursuing a career in the construction industry following graduation.
Pretsch’s favorite softball memory: “I would have to say my favorite softball memory would be the time we beat D.C. Everest in the regional final last year. Coming into that game we were 0-2 against them and were not favored to win. The atmosphere we were playing in felt like it was the last game we needed to win to make it to state. Winning the game gave my team and I confidence in moving forward. Seeing my team work together showed me that everyone on that field had one goal that day. If I had to look back on my high school career, that game showed me exactly why I love playing softball.”