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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – Sammy Stanton delivered an RBI single to cap a seventh-inning comeback and give the Auburndale softball team a walk-off 6-5 win over Stratford in a wild finish on Tuesday at Auburndale High School.
The game was a pitchers’ duel for the first five innings between Stratford’s Laney Pankratz and Auburndale’s Morgan Griesbach.
Auburndale led 1-0 heading into the sixth before Stratford finally cracked Griesbach. Three-straight singles led to two runs on a single by Pankratz.
The Tigers (7-4, 3-2 Marawood Conference South Division) padded their lead in the seventh. Emma Roeper scored on a wild pitch, Kressa Wenzel had a sacrifice fly and Mykayla Stueber knocked in Gracie Schmidt with a single to put Stratford on top 5-1.
Pankratz, who was seemingly on cruise control, lost her control in the seventh as she walked the first three batters. Chesney Nagel cracked a two-RBI single, Mya Krings followed with another two-run hit, and after a fourth walk in the inning and another single, Stanton connected for the game-winner for the Eagles (8-2, 4-1 Marawood South).
Krings finished with three hits and two RBI and Griesbach added two hits in the win for Auburndale.
The two teams will meet again Thursday at Hilgemann Field in Stratford. Game time is 4:45 p.m.
Eagles 6, Tigers 5
Stratford 000 002 3 – 5 8 1
Auburndale 001 000 5 – 6 8 3
WP: Morgan Griesbach. LP: Laney Pankratz.
SO: L. Pankratz 6; Griesbach 6. BB: L. Pankratz 4; Griesbach 2.
Top hitters: S, L. Pankratz 1×4, 2 RBI; Kressa Wenzel 2×3, RBI. A, Mya Krings 3×4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Griesbach 2×3, RBI; Chesney Nagel 1×3, 2 RBI.
Records: Stratford 7-4, 3-2 Marawood Conference South Division; Auburndale 8-2, 4-1 Marawood Conference South Division.