Stratford Spartans vs. SA Marshall Rams, Thursday February 29th

The Spartans traveled to San Antonio to complete the Comal Classic presented by Canes. In the opener, Stratford came away victorious in Game 1 against the Marshall Rams. The top of the 1st saw the Spartans plate 9 runs…all with the first two outs being recording to begin the inning. Braxton Wakefield, Maddox Garnero, and Henry Braniff stacked singles around a couple of walks to make the score 3-0. Caden Baker would come to the plate for a second time in the inning and triple, bringing home Owen Bennett, Burke Malloy, and Bo Harrison. Garnero would add his second single of the inning and make the score 9-0. The Spartans would strike again with 3 more in the top of the 4th with 2 outs. Braniff and Bennett would single, followed by a Rian Healy walk to load the bases. Rylan Reichenau emptied the bases with a single to center on a 3-2 count with the runners in motion, giving Stratford a 12-0 lead. Bo Harrison, Malloy, and Healy would add 3 more runs in the 5th, making it 15-0 and proving to be too much for the Rams. Ranes Denman would get the ball in game 1 and be too much for the Rams to handle. He gave the Spartans 3 innings of 1 Hit baseball while striking out 3 and only issuing 1 free pass. Ford Givens would close out the game in the final two innings to allow Stratford to prevail 15-2 in Game 1 of the weekend.

Stratford Spartans vs. Boerne-Champion Chargers, Thursday February 29th

Game 2 would turn out to be a great matchup. The Chargers came into the game as 5A State Semi-Finalist from the 2023 season and a top-5 ranked 5A team early in 2024. Stratford would jump out early with a 2-out single by Braxton Wakefield, followed by a 2-out RBI double by Henry Braniff. The Chargers responded quickly in the bottom half by stringing together 5 hard-hit singles that gave them a 3-1 lead at the end on an inning of play. Thomas Cloud took the ball from Coach Richards in Game 2 and was his usual self. The righty settled in after the first inning and was effective in keeping the Chargers off-balance all night. He would quiet the big-hitting lineup all night. Cloud would only need 8 pitches to record 6 outs in the 3rd and 4th innings. He would go 5 innings and only allow 4 earned runs. Stratford would add a run in the 3rd with a lead-off single from Rian Healy and come around to score on a Maddox Garnero ground-out, making it a 3-2 game. Boerne-Champion added 2 runs in their half of the 5th, making it 5-2. Sparty answered back quickly in the top of the 6th. A Garnero double, Braniff single, and Carson Craft single tightened the game at 5-3. The bottom of the 6th would see Christian Ramirez get the call from the bullpen to keep the Chargers at bay and a 2-run game. He answered and delivered keeping it a 1-run game in scoreless relief. The Spartans would put 2 runners on in the Top of the 7th with 2 outs. Wakefield reached on a 2-out single, followed by a Garnero walk. Braniff would deliver again with a single, bringing home Wakefield to make it 5-4. They were unable to tie the game and fell 5-4 to a really good Boerne-Champion Chargers ball club.

Stratford Spartans vs. Central Catholic Button, Friday March 1st

Game 3 this weekend saw Stratford matching up against a Central Catholic team that had already beaten the Chargers from Boerne-Champion this season. Caden Cooper would be on the mound Friday morning against the Buttons. The Spartans gave him an early 3-0 when Blake Barry deposited a 3-2 pitch, 3-run BOMB off the light pole in left center field. It was Barry’s first Home Run on the season. Stratford would add a run to make it 4-0 on a sac fly by Henry Braniff, scoring Braxton Wakefield. Central would finally break through on Cooper in the 3rd with 3 runs of their own to make it 4-3. Barry and the Spartans would answer back in the Top of the 4th. Barry led off with a double to left. The speedy Owen Bennett would be called on to courtesy run for Barry. After Bennett swiped third, Rylan Reichenau would bring him home with a single down the left line past the third baseman, making it 5-3 Spartans. Stratford would push across a crucial run in the Top of the 5th to make it 6-3. The Buttons would add a run in the Bottom of the 5th to make it 6-4. They would come up in the bottom of the 6th down 6-4. Walker Sage came on in relief of Caden Cooper. Cooper would go 5+ innings, allowing 5ER while striking out 6 and walking 3. He battled the big bats all day and gave the Spartans the advantage on the mound all day. Sage would get 3 big outs in the final inning and leave the winning run on third to end the game tied at 6.

Stratford Spartans vs. Pieper Warriors, Friday March 1st

Game 4 of the weekend was against the host on Friday afternoon, The Pieper High School Warriors from Comal ISD. Carson Craft would get the ball against the Warriors. The big righty would be overpowering for 5 2/3 innings of work. He scattered 7 hits and 4ER on the day. Burke Malloy would come on in relief to get a big out with a runner on late in the game. The Warriors would score a single run in the 2nd and 3rd while adding 2 more in the 5th to make it 4-0. Stratford would answer back quickly in the Top of the 6th. Caden Baker would get on base with a Hit By Pitch. Wakefield would follow suit and also get HBP. Maddox Garnero would score Baker with a line-drive single to left. Henry Braniff would follow with a line-drive to center to bring home Wakefield. With 2 out and 2 on, Luke Zilafro would hit a hard ground ball to left field and bring home Garnero to make the score 4-3. The Warriors would add 2 more in the Bottom of the 6th to extend their lead to 6-3. Stratford was unable to answer and fell to Pieper HS 6-3.

Stratford Spartans vs Alamo Heights Mules, Saturday March 2nd

The final game of the weekend saw The Spartans face off against The Mules from Alamo Heights. Caden Baker would lead the game off with a double to right and proceed to do 10 pushups on second base to fire up The Spartans Dugout!!! After a Rian Healy walk and Braxton Wakefield Sac Bunt to advance runners to second and third, Maddox Garnero would single home Baker and Healy. Henry Braniff would continue his hot streak and single to advance Garnero to second. Blake Berry would be hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rylan Reichenau would walk on 4 pitches to force home Garnero to make the score 3-0. Luke Zilafro would be hit by a pitch, bringing home Braniff. Barry and Reichenau would both score on passed balls to make the score 6-0. Drew Emery would toe the rubber in Game 5 of the weekend. The big righty would go 4 strong innings, striking out 3 and not allowing an earned run all day. Stratford would make it 7-2 in the Top of the 6th on a Ford Givens hard-hit ball to second, scoring Bo Harrison. Ranes Denman would pitch the final 2 innings to close out the game and hold the Mules at bay. Denman would strike out 4 in 2 innings of work and give Stratford the win in the finale, 7-2.

The Varsity Spartans went 2-2-1 on the weekend and will be in Brenham at a Tournament beginning Thursday March 7th.

This week’s Varsity Baseball Schedule:

Tuesday, March 5th HIT-A-THON @ The Back Yard 5:00-8:30 pm

Thursday, March 7th vs. Houston Lamar, 2:30 pm, Brenham High School

Thursday, March 7th vs. Brenham Bears, 7:00 pm, Brenham High School

Friday, March 8th vs. Willis Wildcats, 10:30 am, Blinn College

Friday, March 8th vs. St. Thomas Catholic, 6:00 pm, Blinn College