Moen’s walk-off single pushes Stratford baseball past Athens

STRATFORD – Dawson Moen drove in Chandler Schmidt with the game-winning run with one out in the seventh inning to lift the Stratford baseball team to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Athens on Friday at the Tiger Stadium Baseball Field.

Athens (6-2) led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Tigers (7-1) rallied. Schmidt delivered a two-run single to score pinch runner Max Schwabe and Lance Heidmann. Colten Schillinger reached before Moen smacked the walk-off winner to left.

Schmidt earned the win, throwing two innings of hitless relief, and had two of Stratford’s eight hits. Ty Pankratz started and went five innings for the Tigers, striking out five.

Dakota Willemssen had an RBI for Athens.

Stratford plays at Marathon on Tuesday and hosts the Raiders on Thursday in a series of the Marawood Conference South Division leaders. Both teams head into next week with perfect 4-0 records in conference play.

Tigers 4, Bluejays 3
Athens 003 000 0 – 3 6 2
Stratford 100 000 3 – 4 8 2
WP: Chandler Schmidt. LP: Derek Czech.
SO: Dakota Willemssen (6 inn.) 3, Czech (1/3 inn.) 0; Ty Pankratz (5 inn.) 5, Schmidt (2 inn.) 2. BB: Willemssen 2, Czech 1; Pankratz 3, Schmidt 0.
Top hitters: A, Willemssen 1×3, RBI; S, Schmidt 2×4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Dawson Moen RBI; Kade Ehirke 2×3, RBI.
Records: Athens 6-2; Stratford 7-1.