Knights eyeing region championship on diamond
By Rob Gantt
Special to The HSSR
GOOSE CREEK – Stratford’s baseball team is on the verge of winning a region crown for the first time since 2008 this spring.
The Knights, led by coach Tony Osterman, have completed sweeps of Wando, Lucy Beckham and Cane Bay in Region 7-5A play. They improved to 9-0 against league foes with a 4-3 win at Cane Bay April 11. It was their fifth win by two runs or less in region play and 10th win in a row.
Stratford is 12-2-2 overall.
"One of the things we’re doing right now is the kids are working hard," Osterman said. "The kids are committed. We’ve got great leaders. They’re pushing the younger players and the expectations are much higher individually and for the team as a whole. They believe in our process and what we're preaching. We work a lot on the details: base running, picks, situational hitting. Kids want to know what happens if we do that, and they're seeing the results."
Leadoff hitter Jachin Davis, an infielder and pitcher, had two hits and continues to lead the team in batting average. Pitcher Bryce Herpolsheimer earned the win on the mound, throwing four innings with five strikeouts. He allowed one hit and one earned run.
Herpolsheimer and outfielder JQ Crosby and knocked in runs for the Knights. Dom Longello threw the seventh inning to earn the save.
In games 1 and 2 of the series, Stratford won 4-2 and 11-0.
In the shutout, Crosby and third baseman Jameson Lee drove in three runs apiece and pitcher Jarrett Wagner was dominant on the mound. He struck out 10 batters and gave up one hit over five innings. He struck out 10 Cobras batters. In his previous three starts, Wagner fanned 10 batters against Lucy Beckham and Wando, and 11 versus Georgetown.
In the first game, Davis and Wagner collected two hits apiece, and pitcher Jacob Deacon threw five innings. Deacon struck out six batters, allowing two hits and two earned runs.
Davis recorded the save with a scoreless seventh after Kyle McDowell registered a hold in the sixth inning.
Outfielder Jason Smith is second on the team with a .469 batting average. Designated hitter Walter Argrett and Lee are hitting .375, followed by Crosby at .333, Herpolsheimer at .325 and Wagner at .323.
Stratford ends the regular season with region sets versus Berkeley (April 21, 23, 25) and Goose Creek (April 28, April 30, May 2).
