SCHUELLER SMACKS WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM AS STRATFORD BASEBALL TOPS WITT-BIRN IN D-3 REGIONAL FINAL

Zaleski Sports

STRATFORD – Braeden Schueller launched a walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to turn possible defeat into sure victory as the Stratford baseball team won a WIAA Division 3 regional title with a 5-2 victory over Wittenberg-Birnamwood on Wednesday at the Tiger Stadium Baseball Field.

Stratford (18-5) moves on to the Division 3 sectional at Crivitz on Tuesday. The Tigers will take on Oconto in the first game at 11 a.m. Amherst will play Kewaunee in the second semifinal at 1:30 p.m., with the winners meeting in the sectional championship game for a berth at the state tournament at approximately 4 p.m. The games will be broadcast live at zaleskisports.com.

Jack Tubbs scored on an RBI single by Gavin Kirsch in the third inning to put the Tigers on top 1-0.

Stratford's Jack Tubbs slides safely into home during the third inning of a WIAA Division 3 baseball regional final against Wittenberg-Birnamwood on Wednesday at Stratford. The Tigers won, 5-2. (Photo by Paul Lecker/Zaleski Sports)

Wittenberg-Birnamwood responded with a run in the fourth inning and the score held 1-1 until the seventh.

The Chargers (19-6) pulled ahead in the top of the seventh as Ian Salvesen doubled home a run with two outs, chasing Stratford starter Brady Schmidt, who was brilliant with 13 strikeouts and just three hits allowed in 6 2/3 innings. Henry Zaleski got the final out for the Tigers to set up the heroics in the bottom of the inning.

Witt-Birn reliever Ben Wesolowski was wild, walking the bases loaded. With one out, Schueller smoked a shot over the fence in right-center field to send Stratford to a regional championship.

Watch the full game replay here:

Tigers 5, Chargers 2

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 000 100 1 - 2 3 1

Stratford 001 000 4 - 5 6 1

WP: Henry Zaleski. LP: Ben Wesolowski.

SO: Nathan Waupekenay (5 inn.) 5, Wesolowski (1 1/3 inn.) 1; Brady Schmidt (6 2/3 inn.) 13, Zaleski (1/3 inn.) 0. BB: Waupekenay 4, Wesolowski 3; Schmidt 2, Zaleski 1.

Top hitters: WB, Ian Salvesen 2x3, 2B, RBI. S, Cam Daul 2x2, run; Braeden Schueller 1x2, HR, 4 RBI; Gavin Kirsch 1x3, run, RBI; Schmidt 2B.

Records: Wittenberg-Birnamwood 19-6; Stratford 18-5.