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RHINELANDER – The Stratford softball team scored nine runs in its final two at-bats to defeat Wautoma 12-2 in its season-opener at the Rhinelander Invitational on Friday night at the Hodag Dome.
Stratford pulled ahead 3-2 with two runs in the top of the fourth thanks to three-consecutive Wautoma errors.
The Tigers were able to put the game away with a four-run fifth and by scoring five more runs in the sixth.
Tria Tubbs had an RBI single, Laney Pankratz knocked in two with another single, and Tessa Berg singled home another run to push Stratford’s lead to 8-2 in the fifth.
Gracie Schmidt and Ava Weix had RBI singles in the sixth to help finish off the win, which ended via the 10-run rule.
Pankratz threw a complete game to earn the win for Stratford, striking out four and allowing just two hits. She also had two hits and two RBI. Tubbs and Emma Roeper also had a pair of hits for the Tigers.
Stratford will play in its bracket semifinal against Drummond at 9 a.m. Saturday. The loser plays in a third-place game at 10:45 a.m. while the winner moves on to the bracket championship game at 12:30 p.m.
Tigers 12, Hornets 2
Stratford 001 254 – 12 12 3
Wautoma 011 000 – 2 2 6
WP: Laney Pankratz. LP: Liv Cieslik.
SO: Pankratz 4; Cieslik (4 2/3 inn.) 5, No. 32 (name not reported) 1. BB: Pankratz 3; Cieslik 2, No. 32 2.
Top hitters: S, Tessa Berg 2 RBI; Emma Roeper 2×3, 2B, 2 runs; Tria Tubbs 2×3, RBI; Tessa Miller 2 runs; Gracie Schmidt 2 runs; Pankratz 2×4, 3 runs, 2 RBI. W, Sydney Dunn RBI.
Records: Stratford 1-0; Wautoma 0-1.