Marathon, Stratford share Marawood title
By Casey Krautkramer
Marathon and Stratford’s varsity baseball teams split their regular season series and are co-champions of the Marawood South Conference this season. Both teams finished their conference schedule with 7-1 records. Marathon won the Marawood South title outright last season.
Red Raiders head baseball coach Steve Warren said his team simply tries to improve every game.
“We don’t talk much about the conference title or any other championships,” he said. “We usually just focus on battling on the next pitch. Stratford is a very good team so we are honored to have a share of the Marawood South title this year.”
Stratford head baseball coach Marshall Lehman is proud of his team sharing the Marawood South Conference championship with Marathon this season.
“We had a stretch in the middle of April where we weren’t playing consistent baseball and that caused us to lose a few games and one of them was against a very tough Marathon ball club,” he said. “Splitting with Marathon taught us a few lessons as an entire team and it was great to see the players respond so well. We used that tough stretch as a learning tool and it has helped be where we are right now. We reached our first goal of winning a conference title and we are now looking forward to continuing to improve heading into the playoffs.”
Marathon is currently ranked No. 7 in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division 3 poll while Stratford is ranked No. 10.
The Red Raiders beat the Phillips Loggers, 8-0, on the road Friday. Sophomore Blake Underwood struck out 10 batters to earn the pitching win. Seniors Cooper Hoeksema and Grant Warren and sophomore True Thurs collected two RBIs each.
Marathon defeated Iola-Scandinavia, 4-1, on the road Saturday. Warren struck out 10 batters to earn the pitching win. Senior Derek Vesely had two RBIs. Marathon lost to Rib Lake, 8-7, on Monday at home as junior Cody Radtke suffered the pitching loss. The Red Raiders downed See BASEBALL/ page 11
CO-CHAMPIONS- Marathon junior Cody Radtke throws a pitch in a game this season. Marathon shared the Marawood South title with Stratford this spring.
TP PHOTO/NATHANIELUNDERWOOD Baseball
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the Spencer Rockets, 8-1, on the road Tuesday as Blake Underwood earned the pitching win. Sophomore Drew Woelfel and Hoeksema had two RBIs each.
Stratford destroyed Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 16-0, in five innings at home on Thursday. Senior Henry Zaleski struck out six batters while only surrendering three hits to earn the pitching win. Stratford then beat Rib Lake, 7-0, on the road Friday. Drew Gage was the winning pitcher and Brady Berg pitched the final two innings in relief.
Stratford downs No. 2 Pittsville
The Tigers handed the Pittsville Panthers their first loss this season with a 13-1 victory in five innings at home on Tuesday. Pittsville is ranked No. 2 in this week’s WBCA Division 4 poll.
Senior Brady Schmidt struck out eight batters while only giving up one hit to earn the pitching win. Junior Jack Tubbs, Schmidt and Zaleski collected two RBIs apiece in the victory.
Athens beats Edgar
The Athens varsity baseball team beat Edgar, 7-4, on the road Tuesday. Bluejays junior Nick Pittman struck out eight batters while surrendering six hits, two walks and four earned runs to earn the pitching win.
Wildcats junior Leyton Schuett suffered the pitching loss after striking out five batters while giving up five hits, five walks and four runs. It was a tough break for Schuett because only one of the runs he gave up was earned. Junior Jase Apfelbeck pitched the last two innings in relief and he struck out five batters while surrendering five hits, no walks and three runs. Two of the three runs he allowed were earned.
Pittman led Athens in hitting by going three for four with three RBIs and one run scored. Schuett led Edgar by hitting three for four with an RBI and a run scored.
Edgar lost a road doubleheader against Auburndale on Thursday by scores of 6-1 and 14-10. Edgar beat Chequamegon, 185, on the road Friday. Edgar edged Spencer, 2-1, on the road Monday.
