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STRATFORD – The Stratford softball team had its backs against the wall heading into what could have been its last at-bat of the season.
Trailing 7-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Tigers put together a five-run frame to tie the game, then Tria Tubbs won it with an RBI single in the eighth and Stratford survived with an 8-7 win over Edgar in a WIAA Division 4 regional final Thursday at Hilgemann Field.
The No. 2 seed Stratford (20-6) moves on to a D-4 sectional semifinal at No. 1 seed Auburndale (19-3) on Tuesday. The two Marawood Conference South Division rivals will meet in the sectional semifinals for the second year in a row. Stratford came out with the win a year ago on its way to the state tournament.
Edgar scored four times in the top of the sixth thanks to an error and a two-run single by Riley Mueller to grab a 6-2 lead.
The Wildcats added another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Morgan Streveler, leaving Stratford in a big hole.
Carly Pankratz started the bottom of the seventh with a double, Laney Pankratz walked as Carly moved up to third on a wild pitch, and Emma Roeper connected on a sacrifice fly to put across the Tigers’ first run.
Following another walk, Gracie Schmidt and Kressa Wenzel delivered consecutive RBI singles, Kalyn Schueller followed with a double to score another, and Ashley Hollatz hit another sac fly to push across the tying run.
After Laney Pankratz sent down Edgar in order in the top of the eighth, Carly Pankratz led off the bottom with a single, went to second on a groundout and scored on Tubbs’ single to left to give the Tigers the improbable win.
Laney Pankratz went the distance on the mound for Stratford, striking out 11 and walking two. Carly Pankratz and Schueller each had four hits and scored twice for the Tigers.
Tigers 8, Wildcats 7 (8 inn.)
Edgar 110 004 10 – 7 6 0
Stratford 010 100 51 – 8 14 2
WP: Laney Pankratz. LP: Morgan Streveler.
SO: Streveler 4; L. Pankratz 11. BB: Streveler 4; L. Pankratz 2.
Top hitters: E, Maycie Yonker 2×3, 2B, HR, RBI; Riley Mueller 1×3, 2 RBI; Jorja Knetter 2B, RBI; Alyson Kolano 2B. S, Carly Pankratz 4×5, 2 2Bs, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Tria Tubbs 2×3, RBI; Kalyn Schueller 4×4, 2B, 2 runs, RBI.
Records: Edgar 10-12; Stratford 20-6.