Stratford Baseball Rolls Past Notre Dame-Fairfield

STRATFORD, CT — The Stratford High School baseball team bounced back from a 2-0 loss to Bethel with a 10-2 victory over Notre Dame-Fairfield last Wednesday at Fabbri Field.

Junior Ben Petrie pitched the first three innings and allowed one run. Junior Josh McDowell relieved Petrie in the fourth and went the rest of the way and also allowed just one run.

Stratford trailed 1-0 early in the game but broke through in the top of the third. Senior Brady Knorr and Petrie got things going with their bats, both driving in big runs during the process. Senior Aidan Ormsbee broke the game open with a no-doubt grand slam over the left-field fence.

Senior J.J. Romatzick went 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, while Knorr finished with three hits, a run scored and an RBI. Petrie went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Stratford improved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the South-West Conference.

Bethel 2, Stratford 0: Bethel jumped out to an early lead last Monday with two walks to start the bottom of the first inning, then pulling off a double steal and scoring on an infield groundout and a sacrifice fly.

Those two runs proved to be enough for Bethel.

Senior Aidan Ormsbee settled down after walking four and hitting two in the first four innings to allow no hits the rest of the way, including retiring the last 11 Bethel hitters in a row.

Stratford finished with only four hits in the game.

Senior J.J. Romatzick laced a single to left in the first inning. Junior Joe Booska went up the middle for a single and went to third on a double to left by sophomore Zach Rider. Senior Ron Kerkes also chipped in with a chopper infield single to the left side in the sixth.

Otherwise, Bethel’s Max Foster held Stratford in check with a good fastball and a biting curveball. He finished with 11 strikeouts.