This story is sponsored by: Wisconsin Homes of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
CHIPPEWA FALLS – Marshfield’s red-hot offense was met by another in Chippewa Falls on Wednesday, and the Tigers just couldn’t keep up.
Chippewa Falls had 18 hits, scored in every inning and defeated Marshfield 12-5 in a WIAA Division 1 softball sectional final at the Leinenkugel Family Softball Complex at Casper Park.
The Cardinals (24-6) moves on to the 2021 WIAA State Softball Tournament next week in Green Bay. The Division 1 quarterfinals will be played at Bay Port High School on Monday morning and the semifinals at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Monday afternoon. The championship game is Wednesday, June 30, at 3 p.m.
Chippewa Falls advances to its 14th state tournament, sixth in the last 11 years and third in a row.
Marshfield ends its season with a 16-7 record, which included three road playoff wins and a regional title.
“They are a good group and work hard,” Marshfield coach Danny Costa said of his team. “I demand a lot out of every team I coach, I always have and I always will, and they step up every single time.”
The Tigers battled back twice early.
Basia Olson had an RBI single in the bottom of the first to put Chippewa Falls up 1-0.
Marshfield responded in the second as senior Taylor Barwick hit a home run to right to tie the game.
After the Cardinals scored in the second, on an RBI single by Makenna Johnston, and twice in the third on a two-run homer by Paige Steinmetz, Marshfield erupted the fourth.
Madalen Bornbach led off with a double and Barwick singled. Sandra Costa ripped an RBI double down the third-base line to make it 4-2. After two outs, Brooklyn Bohman smoked a three-run homer to right-center field to put the Tigers up, 5-4.
“The coaches and I said that if we can get those three (Barwick, Bohman, Costa) going, along with the rest of them going, we’re going to be a tough out,” Danny Costa said. “They got going, unfortunately some of the others were pressing, which is normal in a game like this. That’s not a dig at them, sometimes you just try to do too much.”
Chippewa Falls quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Olson on a play where Marshfield rightfielder Shylah Brogan robbed her of a home run.
The Cardinals pulled away from there, scoring four times in the fifth and three runs in the sixth.
Madyson Baker capped the rally in the fifth with a two-run home run, and Steinmetz and Olivia Sanborn had RBI singles in the sixth.
Marshfield managed a one-out single by Brogan in the sixth and a one-out double by Loryn Jakobi in the seventh against Chippewa Falls reliever Lakken McEathron, but that was it.
“They could really hit the ball,” Danny Costa said. “They hit a couple of long ones today, but really they bloop you, and single you, and double you to death. Everybody in their lineup can do that. Then you add speed to that. I asked my girls to give me 120 percent and I’m a proud coach right now. I told the juniors that this should burn a little bit and get in the offseason and work a little bit to get back in this game next year.”
Cardinals 12, Tigers 5
Marshfield 010 400 0 – 5 10 0
Chippewa Falls 112 143 x – 12 18 0
WP: Hannah Aldrich. LP: Courtney Donahue.
SO: Donahue 2; Aldrich (5 inn.) 5, Lakken McEathron (2 inn.) 1. BB: Donahue 2; Aldrich 2, McEathron 0.
Top hitters: M, Brianna Jakobi 2×4; Loryn Jakobi 2B; Madalen Bornbach 2B; Taylor Barwick 2×3, HR, run, RBI; Sandra Costa 2B, RBI, run; Brooklyn Bohman HR, run, 3 RBIs. CF, Makenna Johnston 1×4, 3 RBIs; Madisyn Bauer 2B, run; Madyson Baker 2×3, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Basia Olson 2×3, 2 RBIs; Paige Steinmetz 4×4, HR, 4 runs, 3 RBIs; Mykle Buhrow 2×4, 2 runs; Olivia Sanborn 4×4, 2B, 2 RBIs.
Records: Marshfield 16-7; Chippewa Falls 24-6.