‘Jays, Tigers beat familier regional foes
By Casey Krautkramer
Stratford’s varsity softball team couldn’t muster the same type of late-inning magic in Tuesday’s WIAA Division 3 sectional road loss against Auburndale as it did in Thursday’s home regional championship against Edgar.
On Thursday, the Tigers were down 7-2 to the Wildcats going into the bottom of the seventh inning at Hilgemann Field. Stratford scored five clutch runs in the final inning to force an extra inning. During the extra frame, sophomore first baseman Tria Tubbs drove in freshman centerfielder Carly Pankratz for the game-winning run as Stratford edged Edgar, 8-7, in an extra inning.
Stratford junior Laney Pankratz earned the pitching win while Edgar senior Morgan Streveler took the loss. Carly Pankratz batted four for five with two RBIs and two runs scored. Junior third baseman Kalyn Schueller hit four for four with an RBI and two runs scored. Tubbs batted two for three with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
Edgar senior first baseman Maycie Yonker batted two for three with a double and a home run. Junior right fielder Riley Mueller hit one for three with two RBIs and a run scored.
Streveler earned the complete-game win during Wednesday’s 16-0 home regional semifinal win against Loyal/Greenwood. She struck out nine batters while only surrendering two hits and a pair of walks. Jorja Knetter and Elizabeth Woller each doubled for Edgar. Mueller and Streveler collected two RBIs each.
Tigers lose to Eagles in sectional
On Tuesday, it was a scoreless sectional semifinal game until Auburndale scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against Stratford at home. Auburndale freshman pitcher Morgan Griesbach pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning to preserve a 5-0 win. Griesbach only gave up four hits against Stratford which ended their season with a 20-7 record.
Auburndale advanced to sectionals after beating Marathon, 7-2, in Thursday’s home regional championship. Marathon defeated Princeton/Green Lake, 9-1, in Wednesday’s regional semifinal.
Bluejays fall to Cards in sectional
Athens senior Jenna Handschke did her part by collecting three hits and driving in four runs during Tuesday’s home WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal against Thorp. The battle-tested Cardinals, however, outlasted the Bluejays 11-7.
Athens junior Danica Diethlem was charged with the pitching loss, but only two of the 10 runs she surrendered were
See PLAYOFF SOFTBALL/ page 17
STRATFORD’S REGIONAL TITLE CELEBRATION- Stratford varsity softball players, including sophomore first baseman Tria Tubbs (23) and junior third baseman Kalyn Schueller (6) pose for a photo with the WIAA Division 4 regional title plaque after Thursday’s come-from-behind 8-7 extra inning home win against Edgar. The Tigers also beat the Wildcats in last season’s home regional championship.
PHOTO BY JENNY CHAPEL
ATHENS REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION- Athens varsity softball players rally around senior first baseman Sydney Coker (26) who is carrying the WIAA Division 5 regional championship plaque. The Bluejays beat the Rib Lake Lady Redmen, 7-4, in Thursday’s home regional title game. Athens also defeated Rib Lake in last year’s home regional championship.
SN PHOTO/MATT FREY Playoff softball
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earned in the first three innings. Athens fielders committed three errors in those pivotal first three innings. Freshman Karly Eckert pitched the last four innings in relief and she gave up four hits and one run while striking out three batters and walking two of them.
Senior third baseman Addison Lavicka batted two for four with an RBI and two runs scored. Senior second baseman Sophia Coker and Diethelm each hit one for three with a walk and two runs scored in the loss to Thorp. Athens ends their season with a 16-7 record while Thorp improves to 20-7.
Athens defeated Rib Lake, 7-4, in Thursday’s home regional championship. This is the second year in a row that Athens has beaten Rib Lake in the regional championship. Diethelm earned the complete- game pitching win by striking out five batters and only surrendering six hits, a walk and four runs. Senior shortstop Jazelle Hartwig led Athens at the plate by hitting three for four with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Athens destroyed Elmwood/Plum City, 17-1, in four innings during last Wednesday’s home regional semifinal. Diethelm earned the pitching win by striking out seven batters while only surrenderuing three hits, a walk and one run. Sophia Coker batted a perfect four for four with two RBIs and three runs scored.
CLOSE PLAY IN THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP- Stratford junior third baseman Kalyn Schueller applies the tag on Edgar senior Maycie Yonker during Thursday’s WIAA Division 4 regonal title game in Stratford. Yonker dived back safely into third base. The Tigers ended up beating the Wildcats, 8-7, in the eighth inning. Stratford junior left fielder Emerson Roy is is shown in the background.
PHOTO BY JENNY CHAPEL
