Wausau West shortstop Claire Calmes throws to first base for an out during the Warriors' softball season opener at Marshfield on Monday. (Photo by Paul Lecker/For Wausau Pilot & Review)

Wausau Pilot & Review

MARSHFIELD – Senior pitcher Courtney Donahue struck out 10 on the mound and had three hits, including a two-run home in a six-run fifth inning to lift the Marshfield softball team to a 9-1 win over Wausau West in its Wisconsin Valley Conference opener Monday at Madison Field.

West, playing its season opener, jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead as leadoff hitter Isabelle Gullickson tripled and scored on a squeeze bunt by Autumn Hughes.

Marshfield tied the game in the second when Shylah Brogan led off with a triple and scored on a ground out by Sandy Costa, and moved ahead for good with a two-run third inning on an RBI singles by Donahue and Loryn Jakobi.

Donahue, after allowing the first-inning run, settled in and blanked the Warriors the rest of the way, giving up just one more hit and two walks, while sitting down the final 11 batters she faced, the final three in the seventh inning by strikeout.

Donahue ripped a two-run home run in the fifth, chasing West starter Allison Kirsch from the game.

The Tigers added four more runs in the frame without a hit to finish off the win and improve to 3-0 this season.

Wausau West hosts D.C. Everest on Tuesday.

Tigers 9, Warriors 1
Wausau West   100   000   0   –   1   2   2
Marshfield   012   060   x   –   9   9   0
WP:
Courtney Donahue. LP: Allison Kirsch.
SO: Kirsch (4 inn.) 1, Autumn Hughes (2 inn.) 0; Donahue 10. BB: Kirsch 0, Hughes 4; Donahue 2.
Top hitters: WW, Isabelle Gullickson 1×3, 3B, run; Hughes RBI. M, Brooklyn Bohman 2×3, 2B, 2 runs; Donahue 3×3, HR, 4 RBI; Shylah Brogan 3B, 2 runs.
Records: Wausau West 0-1 overall and Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 3-0, 1-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.