Marshfield softball overpowers Wisconsin Rapids
Donahue strikes out 14, hits 3-run homer for Tigers
By Paul Lecker
Sports Reporter
MARSHFIELD — Trailing by a run after 2 ½ innings, the Marshfield softball team heated up at the plate and plated seven runs in the next two innings to beat Wisconsin Rapids 8-5 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference game Thursday at the Marshfield Fairgrounds.
The Tigers trailed 2-1 before a big fly that gave them the lead for good.
Jenna Jakobi and Emily Draeger led off the inning with singles, and Megan Donahue, who just missed a home run when she had an RBI double in the first, ripped a pitch over the left-field fence for a three-run homer that put Marshfield on top 4-2.
The Tigers chased Wisconsin Rapids pitcher Megan Overfelt in the fourth. Jakobi and Draeger each had RBI singles, and after a walk to Donahue, Hailey Wilhorn replaced Overfelt on the mound.
Lexi Dupee greeted the Rapids freshman with an RBI single, and Kaitlyn Konrardy followed with a squeeze bunt to score Donahue, making it 8-2 in favor of Marshfield.
“Early in the game, I wanted to see them be aggressive, and later in the game, when I saw (Overfelt’s) pitch count getting up, I wanted to be more patient and get pitches to hit,” Marshfield coach Daniel Costa said. “Overall, I was pleased with the performance.”
Donahue did the rest on the mound. Despite giving up two runs in the fifth and another in the seventh, the Tigers’ sophomore pitcher was able to survive by striking out 14 Raiders in total — seven over the final three innings — to earn the complete-game victory.
“Megan did a pretty good job of hitting her spots,” Costa said. “I love the adversity. I like being put in tough situations because it gives you something to build on. I think this team has a high ceiling, and those types of moments help.”
Jakobi ended up 4-for-4 and scored three times, Draeger was 3-for-4, Madelyn Mews had two singles, and Donahue had two hits and drove in four for the Tigers (4-3 overall, 1-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference).
Madison Bogie was 4-for-4 with three RBIs, and Jordan Whipple went 3-for-3 and scored four times for Wisconsin Rapids (1-1 overall and WVC).
Marshfield hosts Holmen in a nonconference game Friday.
(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)
Tigers 8, Raiders 5
Wisconsin Rapids 101 020 1 – 5 10 2
Marshfield 103 400 x – 8 13 0
WP: Megan Donahue. LP: Megan Overfelt.
SO: Overfelt (3 1/3 inn.) 1, Hailey Wilhorn (2 2/3 inn.) 1; Donahue 14. BB: Overfelt 3, Wilhorn 0; Donahue 0.
Top hitters: WR, Jordan Whipple 3×3, 4 runs; Madison Bogie 4×4, 2B, 3 RBIs; Faith Haas 2B. M, Jenna Jakobi 4×4, 3 runs; Emily Draeger 3×4; Donahue 2×3, 2B, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Madelyn Mews 2×3.
Records: Wisconsin Rapids 1-1 overall and Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 4-3, 1-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
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