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RHINELANDER – The Stratford softball team split a pair of games the Rhinelander Invitational on Saturday at the Hodag Dome to take second place in its bracket.
The Tigers defeated Drummond 14-8 in a semifinal matchup before falling in the championship game to Medford 8-4.
In the semifinal win over Drummond, the Tigers fell behind 6-4 before responding with a four-run bottom of the fifth and added six more in the sixth to finish off the victory.
Tria Tubbs went the distance on the mound for Stratford, striking out 11 and walking eight. She also was 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI. Gracie Schmidt drove in five runs and had two hits. Emma Roeper had a pair of doubles, and Laney Pankratz also had two singles and three RBI for the Tigers.
Medford scored twice in the first inning and five more times in the second to take control of the title game.
Stratford fought back with two runs in the third inning as Pankratz had an RBI single and Tessa Berg had a sacrifice fly.
The Tigers ended single tallies in the fifth and sixth innings but came up short as they were limited to six hits, three from Pankratz.
Pankratz suffered the loss on the mound, allowing 12 hits and eight runs, only three of which were earned. She did not walk a batter and struck out nine.
Stratford (2-1) is scheduled to play a nonconference home game at Hilgemann Field on Friday against Neillsville, weather permitting.
Tigers 14, Lumberjacks 8
Drummond 011 022 2 – 8 6 6
Stratford 210 146 x – 14 11 5
Complete Drummond statistics not provided.
WP: Tria Tubbs.
SO: Tubbs 11. BB: Tubbs 8.
Top hitters: S, Emma Roeper 2×4, 2 2Bs, 2 runs, RBI; Tubbs 3×3, 2 RBI; Gracie Schmidt 2×4, 2 runs, 5 RBI; Laney Pankratz 2×3, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Tessa Berg 2B, RBI.
Records: Drummond 1-1; Stratford 2-0.
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Raiders 8, Tigers 4
Stratford 002 011 0 – 4 6 2
Medford 251 000 x – 8 12 1
WP: Hraby. LP: Pankratz.
SO: Pankratz 9; Hraby 5. BB: Pankratz 0; Hraby 3.
Top hitters: S, Pankratz 3×3, 2 RBI; Roeper 2B, RBI. M, Miller 3×4, HR, RBI, 3 runs; Paulson 3×4, 2B, 3B, RBI; Leonard 2 runs; Seidl 2×3, RBI; Huegli 2 RBI.
Records: Stratford 2-1; Medford 3-0.