Stratford upset by surging McDonell team

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity softball team endured a frustrating WIAA Division 4 home regional championship, which included an illegal pitch call against senior starter Laney Pankratz, against Chippewa Falls McDonell. The first seed Tigers lost, 6-3, to fourth seed McDonell.

McDonell got on the scoreboard right away in the top of the first inning against Laney Pankratz when sophomore Rylie Christianson-Richardson ground out, scoring one run. Stratford jumped into the lead in the bottom of the first inning when an error scored one run and then sophomore second baseman Dakota Knetter smacked a two-RBI double to centerfield to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Unfortunately, these were the only runs Stratford would score the rest of the game.

The umpire crew called Laney Pankratz for an illegal pitch in the top of the second inning when they claimed she stepped outside the delivery lane. The illegal pitch didn’t cost Stratford any runs in the inning, but it clearly frustrated Laney Pankratz.

McDonell tied the game in the fourth inning against Laney Pankratz on senior Kiara Leinenkugel’s RBI groundout and sophomore Aleah Bowe’s RBI double. Stratford head softball coach Mandy Pankratz made the difficult decision to relieve her oldest daughter, Laney Pankratz, in the pitcher’s circle with junior reliever Tria Tubbs. Laney Pankratz assumed Tubbs’ position at first base in the field. The decision worked out great as Tubbs retired the next two McDonell batters to get out of the jam.

The Macks took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning on sophomore Liz Leibrandt’s two-RBI single against Tubbs. McDonell scored an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning.

Sophomore Kelsey Bremness earned the pitching win for the Macks while allowing seven hits and three runs (zero earned) over seven innings, striking out four batters and walking two. Tubbs took the pitching loss for Stratford after she went three and two-thirds innings, surrendering three runs on five hits while striking out four batters and walking none. Tigers starting pitcher Laney Pankratz surrendered five hits and three runs (two earned) over three and one-third innings, striking out one batter and walking two.

Laney Pankratz and Tubbs led Stratford with two hits each. Sophomore leadoff hitter Carly Pankratz had a hit and a walk. Knetter paced the Tigers with two runs batted in.

McDonell accumulated 10 hits in the game. Senior leadoff hitter Kendall Hepfler led the Macks with three hits in four at bats. McDonell catcher Leibrandt batted two for four with two runs batted in. Junior Keagan Winger hit a perfect two for two at the plate for the Macks.

Stratford concluded this season with an 18-8 record. McDonell advanced to the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal where it also upset second seed Colfax, 76, Monday on the road. McDonell has a 16-8 record heading into its sectional finals matchup at 5 p.m. this Thursday, June 5, at Casper Park in Chippewa Falls against whoever won between Shell Lake versus Clayton/Turtle Lake on Wednesday night.

LANEY PANKRATZ CONCLUDES HER ILLUSTRIOUS TIGERS SOFTBALL CAREER - Stratford senior starting pitcher Laney Pankratz is shown uncorking a pitch early in Thursday’s WIAA Division 4 regional championship loss to Chippewa Falls Mc-Donell at Hilgemann Field. Tigers junior shortstop Gracie Schmidt is pictured in the background. Pankratz will be remembered for pitching Stratford’s softball team into its first ever state tournament in the 2023 season.

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER