Tigers fall to 1-3 in WVC

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — Lauren Brinkman led off the fourth inning with a home run, the first hit for D.C. Everest against Marshfield pitcher Megan Donahue, and that opened the floodgates for the Evergreens, who went on to a 9-2 victory over the Tigers in a Wisconsin Valley Conference softball game Thursday at the Marshfield Fairgrounds.

Donahue belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning for Marshfield (5-5, 1-3 Wisconsin Valley Conference), putting the Tigers up 2-0.

Marshfield’s Megan Donahue, far right, is congratulated by her teammates after hitting a two-run homer in the first inning of the Tigers’ game against D.C. Everest on Thursday at the Marshfield Fairgrounds.

Donahue struck out six over the first three innings before Brinkman smoked a home run to center field to lead off the fourth.

Six of the next seven Evergreens reached base, and two came around to score as Everest went up 3-2.

Brinkman led off the fifth with another home run, this one a towering shot down the left field line, and Lexie Higgins touched Donahue with a lead-off homer to center in the sixth. Ally Dzurka had an RBI sacrifice fly, and Brinkman drove in another run with a single to put Everest up 7-2.

The Evergreens (5-3, 3-1 WVC) added two more in the seventh with the help of two Marshfield errors.

After Donahue’s home run in the first, D.C. Everest pitcher Miranda Gajewski gave up just four more hits, one walk, and struck out 11 to earn the win.

Marshfield’s bottom four in the lineup combined to go 0-for-9, and the Tigers left six runners on base, four in scoring position.

Marshfield returns to action with a pair of Valley road games next week at Wausau East on Tuesday and at Wausau West next Thursday.

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

Evergreens 9, Tigers 2

D.C. Everest 000 313 2 – 9 10 1

Marshfield 200 000 0 – 2 6 2

WP: Miranda Gajewski. LP: Megan Donahue.

SO: Gajewski 11; Donahue 11. BB: Gajewski 1; Donahue 3.

Top hitters: DC, Lauren Brinkman 3×4, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Bradie Hammond 2 runs; Rachel Plautz 2×4, 2 2Bs, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Lexie Higgins 2×3, HR, 2 RBIs; Sydney Schwentes 2×4. M, Morgan Nordbeck 2B; Jenna Jakobi 2×4; Megan Donahue HR, 2 RBIs; Lexi Dupee 2B.

Records: D.C. Everest 5-3, 3-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 5-5, 1-3 Wisconsin Valley Conference.