Tigers play Marathon in sectional semifinal Tuesday

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

OCONTO — The Stratford softball team rallied from a two-run deficit to upend top-seed Oconto 5-3 in a WIAA Division 3 regional final Friday.

Oconto led 3-1 after three innings before the Tigers scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game and then added two more in the sixth to pull ahead for good.

Fourth-seeded Stratford (18-6) will play No. 3 Marathon (15-5) in a Division 3 sectional semifinal Tuesday at Neillsville High School. Marathon topped Spencer 2-1 in nine innings on Friday in a regional final. The sectional final is June 2 at Stevens Point Pacelli.

Kiana Weiler shut out Oconto (22-4) over the final four innings and earned the win on the mound for Stratford. She struck out six, walked two, and scattered seven hits.

Brittany Bredemann, Lorrie Luepke, and Weiler each had three hits for Stratford. Two of Luepke’s hits were doubles, and she drove in two runs.

Marathon swept Stratford during the Marawood Conference South Division season, handing the Tigers their only two conference defeats on the way to the championship.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Tigers 5, Blue Devils 3

Stratford 001 112 0 – 5 12 2

Oconto 201 000 0 – 3 7 2

WP: Kiana Weiler. LP: Berth.

SO: Weiler 6; Berth 9. BB: Weiler 2; Berth 1.

Top hitters: S, Brittany Bredemann 3×4, RBI; Lorrie Luepke 3×4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs; Weiler 3×4, RBI; Casey Kolbeck 2 runs; Sammy Griesbach 2×3. O, Stewart 3×3, 2 runs; Berth 2×4, 2B, 2 RBIs.

Records: Stratford 18-6; Oconto 22-4.