This story is sponsored by Forward Bank
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SHEBOYGAN – The Marshfield Post 54 baseball team has survived again.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a five-run lead and held on to defeat De Pere 7-4 in an elimination game at the Wisconsin Class AAA American Legion Baseball State Tournament at Wildwood Park on Thursday afternoon.
Marshfield (24-14) will play in a final-four game Friday against Sheboygan at 4 p.m. A win pushes the Blue Devils into the the final day of the tournament on Saturday where the two top teams qualify for the Great Lakes Regional in Midland, Mich., on Aug. 3-7. Eau Claire will take on Manitowoc in the other game Friday. If Marshfield and Manitowoc win Friday, both would earn the regional berth.
Marshfield started quickly, scoring four times in the opening inning against De Pere (23-14) and never trailed.
Brock Bennington led off with a double, Logan Homolka walked and Riley Bauman reached on an error to load the bases. Nick Urban knocked in two with a single to left field, Cole Timmler had a sacrifice fly to plate Bauman, and Urban scored on a single by Carsten Jirschele to give the Blue Devils a 4-0 lead.
Marshfield added another run in the third when Urban doubled and scored on a two-out single by Jirschele, pushing the lead to 5-0.
De Pere finally solved Urban, Marshfield’s starting pitcher, in the fourth when Ethan Hoops doubled home two runs.
De Pere added two more in the fifth on an RBI single by Garrett Foth and a sacrifice fly, cutting Marshfield’s lead to 5-4.
Homolka relieved Urban in the sixth and sent down all six batters he faced to earn the save. Urban struck out seven and Homolka two with no walks and no errors behind them.
Marshfield added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Jirschele drove in Bauman on a fielder’s choice ground ball, and Kale Weisenberger singled home Ben Dietsche, who had walked earlier in the frame.
Bennington, Urban and Jirschele each had two hits for Marshfield, with Jirschele driving in three and Urban two. Bauman scored three times in the victory.
Marshfield 7, De Pere 4
Marshfield 401 000 2 – 7 8 0
De Pere 000 220 0 – 4 9 2
WP: Nick Urban. LP: Ethan Susa. SV: Logan Homolka.
SO: Urban (5 inn.) 7, Homolka (2 inn.) 2; Susa (6 inn.) 2, Prestin Tennessen (1 inn.) 0. BB: Urban 0, Homolka 0; Susa 3, Tennessen 0.
Top hitters: M, Brock Bennington 2×3, 2B, run; Riley Bauman 1×3, 3 runs; Urban 2×4, 2B, 2 RBI, run; Carsten Jirschele 2×4, 3 RBI; Kale Weisenberger 1×4, RBI. DP, Bryson Webb 3×4, run; Ethan Hopps 2B, 2 RBI.
Records: Marshfield 24-14; De Pere 23-14.
Wisconsin Class AAA American Legion Baseball State Tournament
July 26-30, at Wildwood Park, Sheboygan
Double Elimination
Tuesday, July 26
Game 1: Manitowoc (23-4) 3, Middleton (13-14) 2
Game 2: De Pere (23-12) 2, Fond du Lac (15-8) 1
Game 3: Eau Claire (20-13) 14, Marshfield (22-14) 3
Game 4: Sheboygan (16-14) 5, Genoa City (12-18) 2
Wednesday, July 27
Game 5: Middleton (14-14) 10, Fond du Lac (15-9) 9
Game 6: Marshfield (23-14) 6, Genoa City (12-19) 5 (9 inn.)
Game 7: Manitowoc (24-4) 5, De Pere (23-13) 3
Game 8: Sheboygan (17-14) 5, Eau Claire (20-14) 4
Thursday, July 28
Game 9: Marshfield (24-14) 7, De Pere (23-14) 4
Game 10: Eau Claire (21-14) 15, Middleton (14-15) 9
Game 11: Manitowoc (25-4) 5, Sheboygan (17-15) 1
Friday, July 29
Game 12: Marshfield (24-14) vs. Sheboygan (17-15), 4 p.m.
Game 13: Eau Claire (21-14) vs. Manitowoc (25-4), 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 30
*Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, noon
*Game 15: Game 14 winner vs. Game 14 loser, if necessary, 3 p.m.
*Note: If three teams remain with one loss after Game 13, the Game 11 winner automatically moves into Game 15.