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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
ATHENS – Stratford pitcher Laney Pankratz struck out nine and tossed a complete-game shutout as the Tigers downed Athens 1-0 in a nonconference softball game Tuesday at Athens High School.
The Tigers (17-6) scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning. Tria Tubbs and Gracie Schmidt had back-to-back singles with one out, and Kressa Wenzel plated Tubbs on a groundout.
Pankratz did the rest, allowing only one baserunner over the next three innings. Athens tried to rally in the seventh with a pair of one-out singles before Pankratz coaxed a groundout and struck out the final batter to finish off the shutout and nail down Stratford’s eight-straight win.
Stratford will finish its regular-season schedule with a home game against Marshfield Columbus Catholic on Thursday at 4:45 p.m.
Tigers 1, Bluejays 0
Stratford 000 100 0 – 1 5 0
Athens 000 000 0 – 0 6 1
WP: Laney Pankratz. LP: Danica Diethelm.
SO: L. Pankratz 9; D. Diethelm 7. BB: L. Pankratz 0; D. Diethelm 2.
Top hitters: S, Gracie Schmidt 2×3, 2B; Kalyn Schueller 2×3, 2B; Kressa Wenzel RBI; Tria Tubbs 1×2, run. A, Lavicka 2×3.
Records: Stratford 17-6; Athens 14-6.