This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
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MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield softball team clinched the outright Wisconsin Valley Conference championship with a 3-1 win over D.C. Everest on Thursday at Madison Field.
The outright title is the first for the Tigers’ program since 1997, and is the first conference championship since tying for the 1998 title.
“It gives me goosebumps,” Marshfield coach Becky Linzmeier said. “I’m excited for them (the team) and also excited for all those that came before me, and the players. We have a strong program here in Marshfield. We have coaches like Mike Voss, Danny Costa, Wayne Hamlin and Pete Koepplin, who have built this program and sustained it. We have players from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s who have worked hard to get a conference championship. To do this for the first time in the last 24 years, it’s for them.
“Hopefully the girls can enjoy it, but we’re not done. I told them we are going to come back tomorrow and work even harder.”
Marshfield’s Courtney Donahue struck out six and did not walk a batter to win the pitchers’ dual over D.C. Everest’s Addison Kluck. Kluck also struck out six.
Click here to view the Wisconsin Valley Conference softball standings
Marshfield busted open a scoreless game with a two-run fourth inning. Donahue led off with a single and pinch runner Liliana Anaya later scored on a hit by Loryn Jakobi. Madalen Bornbach made it 2-0 when she scored on an error.
D.C. Everest cut the lead in half when Sydney Spear doubled home Lexi Crawford in the fifth, but that was all the Evergreens would get against Donahue.
Marshfield (16-4, 10-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference) added an insurance run in the sixth when Sandy Costa knocked in Jakobi, who had doubled.
“We’ve been dreaming about this since we were 12 years old,” Costa said.
Marshfield plays at Wausau West on Thursday and a doubleheader at Eau Claire Memorial on Friday to finish off its regular-season scheduled.
D.C. Everest (9-8, 6-6 WVC) will host Eau Claire North for a nonconference doubleheader Friday.
The WIAA playoff bracket for Division 1 will be released Wednesday, with play starting with regional semifinals on Tuesday, May 24.
Tigers 3, Evergreens 1
D.C. Everest 000 010 0 – 1 5 1
Marshfield 000 201 x – 3 5 2
WP: Courtney Donahue. LP: Addison Kluck.
SO: Kluck 6; Donahue 6. BB: Kluck 2; Donahue 0.
Top hitters: DC, Sydney Spear 2×3, 2B, RBI; Paige Kislow 2B. M, Loryn Jakobi 2×3, 2B, RBI; Sandy Costa 2×3, RBI.
Records: D.C. Everest 9-8, 6-6 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 16-4, 10-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.