MARSHFIELD- The Marshfield Chaparrals amateur baseball team ran their season record to an impressive 15-2 Sunday afternoon at Marshfield’s Jack Hackman Field as they won a make-up game against the Everest Merchants by a score of 5-4.
After losing a game to the Eau Claire Cavaliers late last week to snap their eleven-game winning streak, the Chaps started another streak Saturday night beating Medford and Sunday by downing the Merchants.
For the second consecutive game the Chaps offense was in neutral, thanks to a strong pitching performance by the Merchants Lucas Watson.
Watson blanked the Chaps all the way till the fourth inning when Jack Donahue and Justin Rayburn led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After a couple outs, Jason Kurth smoked a two-run double that reached the fence in right field for a two-run lead.
The fifth was more of the same as the Chaps upped their lead when Austin Littman reached on a single and Riley Erickson plated him with a ringing double to right-centerfield. After a couple fly ball outs, Justin Rayburn smacked a double to about the same place Erickson’s landed to bring in Erickson. Sam Schwanebeck singed to bring home Rayburn and the Chaps were up 5-0.
While Watson blanked the Chaps until the fourth, Chap starter Bobby Pilz blanked the Merchants all the way until the sixth.
As per usual, Pilz stranded three runners in both the first and second innings before settling down. He allowed just seven hits in his 6 1/3 innings of work, striking out five.
Pilz did allow a run in the sixth when Watson hit a one-out single and scored on an RBI single by Tom Fish.
But as both his pitch count and his pitches began to elevate, Pilz was pitching on borrowed time, getting a lead-off out, but loading the bases with a trio of walks. He was replaced by Kade Lancour who walked the first batter he faced to make it 5-2 before the inning ended
Meanwhile, the Merchants got a lead-off single by Jim Olafson in the ninth followed by a base on balls by Brooks Repking. After a ground-out, Watson drilled a two-run single to make it 5-4. Lancoiur served up two fly ball outs to preserve the win.
“We had another good hitting game after our first time through the line-up,” said Schwanebeck. ”(Jason) Kurth came up big with the double. Bobby (Pilz) kept wriggling out of trouble like he does. I think he likes pitching with the bases loaded more than clean. It wasn’t our most well played game of the year but Everest is always tough and made us earn it.”
The Chaps next game is at home Saturday, July 28 at 1:30 PM against Minoqua.
Chaparrals 5, Merchants 4
DC Everest 000 001 102 — 4 10 0
Marshfield 000 230 000 — 5 13 3
SO- Watson (6 inn.) 7; Tom Fish (2inn.). Pilz (6 1/3 inn.) 5, Kade Lancour (2 2/3 inn.) 2. BB- Watson 2. Pilz 5, Lancour 2.
Top hitters- Jim Olafson 3×4; Watson 2×4, 2 RBI; Jace Bauman 2×5. M- Riley Erickson 3×4, 2B, RBI; Justin Rayburn 3×4, 2B, RBI; Sam Schwanebeck 2×4, RBI; Austin Littman 2×5; Jason Kurth 2B, 2 RBI; Nate McDonald 2B.
Records- Marshfield 15-2. Everest not reported
