Tigers tame the Wildcats again

Straford gains momentum for the playoffs

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity baseball team defeated Edgar, 6-1, on the road Thursday to complete the regular-season sweep.

Tigers junior Brady Schmidt outdueled Wildcats freshman Lucas Stahnke in the starting pitching matchup. Schmidt struck out seven Edgar hitters in his five innings of work to earn the win. Senior Jackson Ormond pitched the final two innings for the save. Schmidt credited the team’s defense in helping him earn the pitching win. He also believes the team’s best play is still ahead of it, considering it had only played 11 games as of Thursday which is a much lower amount than other area teams have played this season.

“There are a lot of shifting parts and we are still trying to figure out some stuff in the lineup and in field, but personally it’s nice to know as a pitcher that my fielders are going to be behind me,” he said. “I don’t have to just blow the ball past hitters because I can make them put the ball into play knowing that I have a great defense behind me to back me up,” said Schmidt.

Schmidt helped himself out at the plate with a pair of doubles. Sophomore shortstop Vance Kielman led Stratford with two RBIs. Freshman catcher Brady Berg, sophomore second baseman Jack Tubbs and junior Landon Zawislan collected one RBI each. Juniors Cole Tichy and Henry Zaleski each stole one base.

Edgar senior first baseman Marcus Huehnerfuss led the team with a double and stolen base.

Stratford baseball fans were pacing around on Thursday in Edgar wondering what the score of the Auburndale against Marathon game was, because Stratford needed Auburndale to beat Marathon to have a shot at sharing the Marawood South Conference championship this season. The Red Raiders nipped the Eagles, 2-1, in an extra inning to prevent the Tigers from winning back-to-back conference titles. Regardless, Schmidt said Thursday’s victory against Edgar helped his team continue to gain momentum going into the playoffs.

Stratford might’ve lost the Marawood Conference South championship to Marathon, but there’s a good chance the teams will play each other in a WIAA Division 3 regional title game again this season.

“I definitely like our chances against Marathon in the playoffs,” Schmidt said. “Right now our games are just helping us get better and prepare for the playoffs. We didn’t win the conference so now we need to go for the regional title and see how far we can make it in the playoffs.”

His older brother, Chandler Schmidt, pitched the complete-game win in the WIAA Division 3 state championship in 2019 to help the Tigers win their first state championship in school history. He is now pitching for Division 2 Winona State in Minnesota. Brady Schmidt said he’s fortunate to have his older brother for guidance on the pitching mound.

“He’s helped me big time,” Brady Schmidt said. “He gives me someone to look up to and help me in the offseason with my pitching mechanics. I can strive to be a college baseball pitcher someday just like he is now.”

Stratford easily defeated Rib Lake, 10-0, on Friday at home. Senior Braeden Schueller earned the complete- game pitching win. Jack Tubbs and Landon Zawislan both belted home runs. Schmidt, Tubbs and Vance Kielman each hit a double. Tubbs led the Tigers with three RBIs while Kielman and senior John Seitz III had two RBIs each.

The Tigers nipped the Athens Bluejays, 6-5, in an extra inning on Monday at home. Schmidt earned the pitching victory for Stratford while senior Kyler Ellenbecker was charged with the pitching loss for Athens. Tubbs doubled and senior Jackson Ormond led Stratford with two RBIs.

Athens junior Ty Johnson doubled while he and junior Hunter Haehlke led the team with two RBIs each.

Stratford swept its doubleheader against Wausau Newman on Tuesday by scores of 8-5 and 18-1. Stratford now has a 12-3 overall record this season.

‘Cats edge the Eagles

Edgar’s varsity baseball squad nipped Chequamegon, 2-1, on on Friday at home. Senior Marcus Huhnerfuss earned the pitching win and sophomore Jase Apfelbeck also saw time on the mound. Senior third baseman Dillan Yonker batted one for three with a run scored. Senior second baseman Brady Stencil hit one for two with a pair of RBIs in the win. Edgar has a 7-6 overall record this season.

‘Jays garner big win

The Athens varsity baseball team downed Chequamegon, 13-4, on the road Thursday. Senior Kyler Ellenbecker earned the pitching win but junior Hunter Haehlke also saw time on the mound. Freshman Kamden Zarnke and Haehlke both doubled. Haehlke led the Bluejays with three RBIs while Zarnke and junior Ty Johnson had two RBIs each. Junior Logan Ebben and sophomore Kaden Auner had one RBI each.

Athens senior Nathan Wolf, Haehlke and Ellenbecker all had two stolen bases in the team’s victory against Chequamegon. Athens lost, 7-3, to Auburndale on the road Friday. The Bluejays now have a 6-7 overall record this season.

“We didn’t win the conference so now we need to go for the regional title and see how far we can make it in the playoffs.” Brady Schmidt Stratford junior