This story is sponsored by: Chips Hamburgers of Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – Braeden Schueller launched a walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to turn possible defeat into sure victory as the Stratford baseball team won a WIAA Division 3 regional title with a 5-2 victory over Wittenberg-Birnamwood on Wednesday at the Tiger Stadium Baseball Field.
Stratford (18-5) moves on to the Division 3 sectional at Crivitz on Tuesday. The Tigers will take on Oconto in the first game at 11 a.m. Amherst will play Kewaunee in the second semifinal at 1:30 p.m., with the winners meeting in the sectional championship game for a berth at the state tournament at approximately 4 p.m. The games will be broadcast live at zaleskisports.com.
Jack Tubbs scored on an RBI single by Gavin Kirsch in the third inning to put the Tigers on top 1-0.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood responded with a run in the fourth inning and the score held 1-1 until the seventh.
The Chargers (19-6) pulled ahead in the top of the seventh as Ian Salvesen doubled home a run with two outs, chasing Stratford starter Brady Schmidt, who was brilliant with 13 strikeouts and just three hits allowed in 6 2/3 innings. Henry Zaleski got the final out for the Tigers to set up the heroics in the bottom of the inning.
Witt-Birn reliever Ben Wesolowski was wild, walking the bases loaded. With one out, Schueller smoked a shot over the fence in right-center field to send Stratford to a regional championship.
Tigers 5, Chargers 2
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 000 100 1 – 2 3 1
Stratford 001 000 4 – 5 6 1
WP: Henry Zaleski. LP: Ben Wesolowski.
SO: Nathan Waupekenay (5 inn.) 5, Wesolowski (1 1/3 inn.) 1; Brady Schmidt (6 2/3 inn.) 13, Zaleski (1/3 inn.) 0. BB: Waupekenay 4, Wesolowski 3; Schmidt 2, Zaleski 1.
Top hitters: WB, Ian Salvesen 2×3, 2B, RBI. S, Cam Daul 2×2, run; Braeden Schueller 1×2, HR, 4 RBI; Gavin Kirsch 1×3, run, RBI; Schmidt 2B.
Records: Wittenberg-Birnamwood 19-6; Stratford 18-5.