Four-run sixth sends Marshfield baseball past Holmen in WIAA Divison 1 regional final

HOLMEN – The Marshfield baseball team is moving on to sectionals after a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Holmen in a WIAA Division 1 regional final Thursday.

Marshfield trailed 1-0 after five innings before scoring all four of its runs after two were out in the top of the sixth.

Mason Coffren had an RBI single to score pinch-runner Caleb Specht, Ben Gust followed with an RBI double to plate Riley Boushack, who had walked, and Isaiah Baierl connected on a two-run single to left to score Coffren and Gust and put the Tigers up 4-1.

Holmen responded with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Adam Quam, but that would be it for the Vikings (18-7).

Holmen threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Marshfield starting pitcher Preston Wagner walked two batters, which sandwiched an out, before giving way to Ryan Krueger. Krueger got the final two outs to earn the save.

Wagner threw 6 1/3 innings innings, striking out three and walking four, while allowing just four hits.

Marshfield (16-12) will play at the WIAA Division 1 Sectional 1 tournament at Carson Park in Eau Claire on Tuesday. The Tigers will play the second of two semifinals against Eau Claire North (20-4) at 1 p.m. Stevens Point (20-4) will take Wisconsin Rapids (16-7) in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. The sectional championship, with a berth in the state tournament on the line, is scheduled for 4 p.m.

The 2019 WIAA State Baseball Tournament will be June 11-13 at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, near Appleton.

Tigers 4, Vikings 2
Marshfield 000 004 0 – 4 6 2
Holmen 000 101 0 – 2 4 0
WP: Preston Wagner. LP: Ben Byom. SV: Ryan Krueger.
SO: Wagner (6 1/3 inn.) 3, Krueger (2/3 inn.) 0; Byom (6 inn.) 10, Nevin Wall (1 inn.) 1. BB: Wagner 4, Krueger 0; Byom 1, Wall 0.
Top hitters: M, Ben Gust 1×3, 2B, RBI; Isaiah Baierl 1×3, 2 RBIs; Mason Coffren 1×3, RBI. H, Kevin Koelbl 2 runs; Brandon Flury 2×3; Adam Quam 1×1, 2 RBIs.
Records: Marshfield 16-12; Holmen 18-7.