Drexler’s walk-off single leads Stratford baseball past Marathon

STRATFORD – Eli Drexler ripped a single to left to score Mav Licciardi with the game’s only run in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Stratford baseball team shut out Marathon 1-0 on Thursday at the Tiger Stadium Baseball Field.

Licciardi walked and scored on Drexler’s hard hit single as the Tigers managed a split with Marathon in the two Marawood Conference South Division games played this week, and regained a tie with the Raiders for the lead in the standings.

Stratford (8-2) and Marathon (6-1) are both 5-1 in the Marawood South with four games remaining.

Stratford plays at Abbotsford/Colby and Marathon will travel to Prentice on Friday.

Lance Heidmann threw six strong innings, scattering seven hits and one walk. Chandler Schmidt was the winning pitcher, throwing a shutout frame in the seventh for the Tigers.

Drexler had two of the Tigers’ three hits, including the game-winner against Marathon reliever Myles Williamson, who entered the game in the seventh.

Mitchell Kurtz and Williamson each had two hits for the Raiders.

Tigers 1, Raiders 0
Marathon 000 000 0 – 0 8 1
Stratford 000 000 1 – 1 3 0
WP: Chandler Schmidt. LP: Myles Williamson.
SO: Jaden Koeller (6 inn.) 4, Williamson (1/3 inn.) 0; Lance Heidmann (6 inn.) 1, Schmidt (1 inn.) 0. BB: Koeller 4, Williamson 1; Heidmann 1, Schmidt 0.
Top hitters: S, Mitchell Kurtz 2×3; Williamson 2×3. S, Eli Drexler 2×2, 3 SBs, RBI; Riley Bauman 2B.
Records: Marathon 6-1, 5-1 Marawood Conference South Division; Stratford 8-2, 5-1 Marawood South.