Stratford Legion wins regional again

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford American Legion baseball catcher Brady Berg was awarded Most Valuable Player of the four-day Class A regional tournament that concluded on Monday in Stratford. His winning RBIs in Stratford’s back-to-back victories against the Clintonville Diamond Cats on Sunday and Monday led the team to its second straight Class A state tournament.

Sunday’s game was tied at three runs apiece when Clintonville intentionally walked Stratford second baseman Jack Tubbs to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jaeger Ormond and Riley Spindler singled before Tubbs walked. Berg made the Diamond Cats pay for their decision to intentionally walk Tubbs when he drilled a grand slam over the centerfield fence. Stratford ended up beating Clintonville, 7-5. Brady Schmidt was the winning pitcher.

Clintonville defeated Crandon in an 11-5 slugfest later Sunday to remain alive in the double elimination Class A regional. Stratford was the only undefeated team left and needed to beat Clintonville in one of two games on Monday in order to advance to its second straight Class A state tournament.

Stratford jumped out to a 6-0 lead against Clintonville on Monday afternoon. Starting pitcher Henry Zaleski held the Diamond Cats at bay until the top of the fifth inning. Clintonville had runners on first and second bases with no outs when the rain arrived. The game was in a rain delay for approximately 45 minutes. Zaleski came back out to the mound after the rain delay and he surrendered four runs to Clintonville.

Christian Rehm, who will be a freshman in high school this year, entered the game in the top of the sixth inning to pitch in a high intensity situation. He pitched out of a jam by stranding two Clintonville runners on base. He wasn’t as fortunate in the top of the seventh inning when the Diamond Cats scored two runs to tie the game at six runs apiece. Riley Kroening relieved Rehm on the mound and he got the final two outs of the inning.

Clintonville starting pitcher Spencer Striebe used up his allowable 105 pitches at the end of the sixth inning, therefore reliever Kolton Barkow pitched the bottom of the seventh inning. Rehm drew a leadoff walk on a 3-2 count. Kroening then struck out swinging. Alex Chapel walked. Riley Spindler popped up the ball and Krakow secured the catch in foul territory for the second out. Tubbs hit a hard single to load the bases. Berg drew a walk on a 3-2 count for the game-winning RBI to send Stratford back to the American Legion Class A state tournament. Kroening was the winning pitcher.

Stratford began its home American Legion Class A regional on Friday with an 11-4 win against the Tomahawk Cubs. Stratford then beat Crandon, 11-6, on Saturday for the opportunity to defeat Clintonville on Sunday and Monday. Had Stratford lost its second game against Clintonville, then the two teams would have needed to play against each other again to determine the American Class A regional champion.

It’s quite an accomplishment for Stratford to advance to the Class A state tournament in each of its first two summer seasons as an American Legion team. The Class A state tournament in Osseo begins this Friday, Aug. 2 and lasts until Tuesday, Aug. 6. Stratford (13-7) plays against Baldwin at 4 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 2. If Stratford beats Baldwin, then they will play again at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3, against the winner of Friday’s first game between Little Chute and Lomira. If Stratford loses to Baldwin, then they will play at 10 a.m. on Saturday against the loser between Little Chute and Lomira.

The remainder of the double-elimination Class A state tournament schedule is yet to be determined.

CLASS A REGIONAL CHAMPIONS FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON- Stratford’s American Legion baseball team went undefeated in last weekend’s Class A regional at Tigers Stadium to advance into this weekend’s state tournament in Osseo. Team members pictured, from left to right, front row are: Jack Tubbs, Alec Chapel, Landon Zawislan, Colton Haupt, Jaegar Ormond and Trygve Aschenbrenner; back row: Manager Drew Spaeth, Jack Remus, Riley Kroening, Christian Rehm, Henry Zaleski, Brady Schmidt, Vance Kielman, Riley Spindler, Brady Berg, head coach Chandler Schmidt and assistant coach Curt Schmidt.

PHOTO BY JENNY CHAPEL