This story is sponsored by: Chili Implement
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SCHOFIELD – The Marshfield Chaparrals amateur baseball team concluded their regular-season schedule Friday night in Schofield by dropping a non-league contest to the Everest Merchants, 4-3 at Simon Field.
The win gave the Merchants a three-game sweep of the Chaps on the season as the they finished first in the Dairyland League with an 11-1 record. The Wausau River Hawks were second in the league at 10-2 and the Chaps third with a respectable 9-3 mark.
Marshfield (10-9 overall) will advance to the Wisconsin Baseball Association playoffs next weekend in Altoona. The Chaparrals will play the Spring Valley Hawks at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and if they win, will play again at 3 p.m. Sunday. The state finals will be held in Menomonie on Aug. 17-18.
Sam Schwanebeck knocked in all the Chaparrals’ runs in the game starting in the third inning when his ringing double to left-center scored both Kyle Westhuis and Shawn O’Connell, who had both singled ahead of him.
Schwanebeck finished up the Chaps’ scoring in the fifth when he drove in Connor Jasurda, who had previously singled.
Three Marshfield pitchers allowed just eight hits. Jasurda started and gave up one unearned run. Hunter Korger filled the middle innings and allowed two earned runs. Bobby Pilz was the tough luck loser, surrendering a two-out base hit to right field in the bottom of the ninth that fell in front of the rightfielder. The fielder then dropped the ball when he picked it up and the winning run was able to come around to score on the error.
O’Connell led the Chaparrals’ attack going 3-for-3. Schwanebeck was 2-for-3 with a double and the three RBIs, and Nick Anderson and Jasurda each went 2-for-4.
Schwanebeck’s three RBI gave him 21 on the season to lead the Chaps for the regular season. He also led in home runs with two. Pilz led the Chaps in batting average at .423 with Korger and O’Connell next at .405 and .403, respectively. Korger led the team in doubles with 10 and O’Connell led in on-base percentage at.513, walks (14), hits (25) and games played (19). Jason Kurth led in at bats (67) and Nate McDonald was tops on the team in runs scored (16), triples (two) and stolen bases (five).
Merchants 4, Chaparrals 3
Marshfield 002 010 000 – 3 11 2
Everest 000 100 201 – 4 8 1
WP: Tom Scnell. LP: Bobby Pilz.
SO: Connor Jasurda (4 inn.) 4, Hunter Korger (3 inn.) 4, Pilz (1 2/3 inn.) 2; Logan Langbehn (2/3 inn.) 0, Sam Nielsen (5 1/3 inn.) 3, Roman McGuire (2 2/3 inn.) 5, Schnell (1/3 inn.) 0. BB: Korger 2, Pilz 1; McGuire 2.
Top hitters: M, Shawn O’Connell 3×3; Sam Schwanebeck 2×3, 3 RBIs; Nick Anderson 2×4; Jasurda 2×4.
Records: Everest 11-1 Dairyland League; Marshfield 10-9 overall; 9-3 Dairyland League.