Two local Legion teams on to state!

The Stratford American Legion baseball team has earned a trip to the state tournament for the third straight season since the program began in the summer of 2023.

Stratford swept its opponents last weekend to win its home American Legion Class A regional tournament to advance to state. Stratford shut out Fall Creek, 1-0, on Friday. Stratford easily beat Whitehall, 30-0, and Osseo, 9-0, both on Saturday. Stratford will now play in the double- elimination 37th annual American Legion Class A state tournament on Aug. 1-5, at Veterans Memorial Field in Westby.

Stratford’s Legion team has a 9-7 record this season heading into its state tournament game against Wittenberg, who won the Marathon regional, at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1. The winner of this game will play at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2, while the loser of this game will play at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Other teams in the Class A state tournament include Viroqua, Denmark, St. Mary’s Springs, Fennimore, Region 5 and Westby-Coon Valley.

Stratford American Legion baseball coach Drew Spaeth is elated that his squad is making its third consecutive appearance in the American Legion Class A state tournament this weekend.

“I am super proud of the boys and how they competed throughout the weekend to make it to Legion state,” he said. “This is our third year in a row. It’s always a fun experience to make it down while playing some great competition as well. We started Stratford Legion three summers ago to give everyone the opportunity in house to play competitive baseball, while giving them the opportunity to help them become better baseball players. It’s pretty neat to basically have a second season of baseball in the summer and compete for a state title. I’m super excited for the opportunity our boys have this weekend to keep playing the game of baseball hoping to extend our season one day at a time.”

Post 469 baseball falls short of state

The Marathon American Legion Post 469 baseball squad beat both Wittenberg, 1-0, and Tomahawk, 10-0, on the first day of its home double-elimination Class A regional tournament.

Reed McCain’s RBI single in the fifth inning scored Ean Shuda for the only run of the game against Wittenberg. True Thurs was the winning pitcher and Shuda earned the save.

Blake Underwood was the winning pitcher against Tomahawk. Grant Salber led Post 469 by hitting two for four with three RBIs while McCain was two for four with a pair of RBIs. Thurs doubled and collected two RBIs.

Marathon lost to Wittenberg, 11-2, on Sunday to set up the regional championship against Wittenberg the same day. McCain was the losing pitcher. Shuda batted two for four in the defeat.

Wittenberg then beat Marathon, 15-3, in the regional championship. Shuda was the losing pitcher but he led Post 469 in hitting by going two for three with a double and two RBIs.

Marathon concludes this season with a 16-7 record.

Marathon Legion softball goes to state

The Marathon American Legion softball team has made it to the Division 2 Legion state tournament in its inaugural season. The top two teams in each softball Legion regional qualify for state, compared to Legion baseball in which only the regional champion advances to state.

Marathon beat Crandon, 10-2, in its first game on July 22 in the Wittenberg Division 2 regional tournament. Marathon then lost to Wittenberg, 7-0, on July 22. Marathon was beating Crandon, 7-0, after 2-1/2 innings on July 23 but the remainder of the game was rained out. Crandon ended up forfeiting to Marathon instead of continuing the game already in progress. Marathon then forfeited its game to Wittenberg because it had already secured a trip to the state tournament.

Marathon plays its first ever American Legion Division 2 state softball tournament game at noon this Friday, Aug. 1, against Fall Creek on Field 3 at the Merrill Area Recreational Complex, located at 1100 Marc Drive. Marathon’s Legion softball team has a 6-6 season record heading into the state tournament.

Post 393 softball season ends

Edgar’s inaugural American Legion Post 393 softball season concluded in last week’s Division 2 regional in Thorp. Edgar beat Thorp, 9-8, in eight innings before losing to Fall Creek, 4-1, and Augusta, 3-1. Post 393 ends their season with a 5-4 record.