Knights Raise Bar For Baseball Program
Stratford's Jacob Deacon one of ten players the Knights have graduating this year.
By Rob Gantt
Special to the HSSR
GOOSE CREEK – Stratford High School’s baseball team excelled on the diamond this spring.
The senior-laden squad captured the Region 7-5A crown and won a postseason district championship before falling to eventual state champion James Island in the Lower State championship series. Coach Tony Osterman credited the nine players moving on for leaving the program in much better shape than they found it.
“They raised the bar for our community and got us back on the map,” said Osterman, who won region coach of the year honors. “Without them, I don’t think we would have been so successful. Our seniors believed in our coaching style and bought in. We’re going to miss them.”
The region and district championships were the first on Crowfield Boulevard since 2008.
The group moving on is Braydon Burnett, J.J. Smith, Henry Parrott, Bryce Herpolsheimer, Tripp Smith, Walter Argrett, Kyle McDowell, Jacob Deacon and Jachin Davis, a junior who plans to graduate early following the first semester during the 2025-26 school year.
Davis, an infielder, was one of two Knights to garner all-state honors and earned the region’s Player of the Year nod. Junior pitcher Jarrett Wagner was the other South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association selection.
Davis, a two-time all-state and four-time all-region pick, batted leadoff and led the team in hitting with a .470 batting average. The speedster scored a team-high 50 runs, collected 12 extra-base hits and swiped more than 30 bases.
Wagner capped the campaign 8-1 on the bump with a 1.077 earned-run average, striking out 72 batters in 52 innings. He also played corner infield spots and batted .338 with 17 RBIs.
Smith, an outfielder, was second on the team from the dish with a .417 batting average and 21 RBIs.
Herpolsheimer, who played first base and garnered all-region honors for the second time, hit .307 with 25 runs scored and 24 RBIs and posted a 3-2 record on the mound. Deacon went 6-1 as a hurler with a 2.35 ERA, striking out 55 batters in 47.2 innings.
Argrett batted .307 with 24 RBIs.
Osterman said he was optimistic about the 2026 season.
“The culture and mentality have changed,” he said. “You can see we’re more of a team. Everybody gets along. They do things together. It’s about playing for each other. Now they know they can win instead of playing not to lose. Kids know they’ve got to do certain things and be committed. Our seniors set a high standard for the kids coming behind them. Our older players put in the time, and the younger kids saw how it paid off.”
As for next spring, the Knights can bring back several key players to build around, including Wagner. Sophomore third baseman Jameson Lee batted .337 with 22 RBIs. Junior outfielder JQ Crosby hit .304 with a team-high 30 RBIs and 23 runs scored. Sophomore infielder Dom Longello batted .317 with 13 RBIs. And catcher Caleb Lott was just in the eighth grade.
