Tigers nearly erase nine-run deficit

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MERRILL — The Marshfield softball team almost pulled off an incredible comeback but ended up just short, falling 9-8 to Merrill on Thursday.

Merrill (10-3, 8-2 Wisconsin Valley Conference) led 9-0 after two innings before the Tigers (8-9, 3-7 WVC) clawed back into it.

Megan Donahue hit a two-run home run in the fourth, and the Tigers scored two more in the fifth, three times in the sixth, and added another in the seventh to cut the deficit to 9-8.

Lexi Dupee had a two-run single in the fifth to make it 9-4.

In the sixth Alyssa Ede drove in a run with a double, Melissa Roberts had an RBI single, and Donahue had an RBI double to pull Marshfield to within two at 9-7.

Kayla Kluge led off the seventh with a single, moved to third on a pair of groundouts, and scored on a single by Roberts.

After Emily Draeger walked, Merrill pitcher Chelsey LaMonica got Morgan Nordbeck to pop up to shortstop to end the game.

Marshfield will play three games at the Escanaba (Mich.) Invitational on Saturday.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Bluejays 9, Tigers 8

Marshfield 000 223 1 – 8 11 4

Merrill 360 000 x – 9 7 2

WP: McKayla Heckendorf. LP: Kayla Kluge. SV: Chelsey LaMonica.

SO: Kluge (2 inn.) 1, Megan Donahue 4; Heckendorf (5 1/3 inn.) 5, LaMonica (1 2/3 inn.) 0. BB: Kluge 3, Donahue 0; Heckendorf 3, LaMonica 2.

Top hitters: MAR, Emily Draeger 2B, 2 runs; Morgan Nordbeck 2×4, 2B, 2 runs; Donahue 2×2, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs; Lexi Dupee 2 RBIs; Alyssa Ede 2B. MER, LaMonica 2×3, 2 runs; Starr Krenzke 2B, 3 RBIs; Emily Travis 2B.

Records: Marshfield 8-9, 3-7 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Merrill 10-3, 8-2 Wisconsin Valley Conference.