Marshfield Chaparrals baseball shut out at Eau Claire

Marshfield Chaparrals pitcher Bobby Pilz eyes the plate during a game at the Eau Claire Cavaliers on Thursday. The Chaps lost 8-0. (Photo by V. Pilz/For MarshfieldAreaSports.com)

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By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com

EAU CLAIRE – Just a day after hammering out 16 hits against Plover, the Marshfield Chaparrals offense sagged backward, accounting for just four hits, as they were shutout for the second time this season 8-0 against the Eau Claire Cavaliers in a non-leage game Thursday at Carson Park.

The Chaps hung tough for a while, giving up an unearned run in the second and trailing 1-0 after three innings.

Curtis Englebrecht led off the third with a double for Marshfeild, but was stranded there, killing their only real threat of the night.

Chaps starter Bobby Pilz eventually ran into some trouble in the fourth. After a lead-off single, Pilz struck out two batters, but after a walk and a hit batter, Eau Claire’s Jordan Wilson drilled a two-run single to right center for a 4-0 Cavaliers’ lead.

Meanwhile, the Chaps never did figure out Cavs starter Zach Johnson. The Eau Claire starter pitched a stellar seven innings, striking out three, walking one and scattering just three hits.

“Eau Claire has always been one of the best teams we see all year,” said Chaparral manager Justin Rayburn. “They outplayed us tonight, but I was proud of our effort.”

Pilz ran out of gas after 5 1/3 innings and was replaced by Alex Steines. Steines battled for an inning and a third, giving up just two more runs before watching Luke Wirtz pitch the final inning for the Chaps.

Starting shortstop Tyler Herman relieved Johnson and was equally effective for Eau Claire, allowing just a single while striking out three and walking one in his two innings of work.

Cole Tyman went 4-for-5 for the Cavaliers with two doubles.

Englebrecht was 2-for-3 for the Chaps and Rayburn had the other two hits, both singles, in four trips to the plate.

The Chaparrals’ next game is against Merrill on Monday at Jack Hackman Field in Marshfield. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.

Cavaliers 8, Chaparrals 0
Marshfield 000 000 000 – 0 4 4
Eau Claire 010 302 20x – 8 15 1
WP:
Zach Johnson. LP: Bobby Pilz
SO: Pilz 7; Johnson 3, Tyler Herman 3. BB: Pilz 2, Alex Steines 2; Johnson 2, Herman 1.
Top hitters: M, Curtis Englebrecht 2×3, 2B; Justin Rayburn 2×4. EC, Cole Tyman 3×4, 2 2Bs; Tom Mewhorter 2B; Herman 2B.
Records: Marshfield 3-3; Eau Claire not reported.