Millington at Frankenmuth – – First Game – – Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 4, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft
According to the beginning of my You Tube video of Red River Valley, I submit that you never know where the Red River Valley will lead you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w03AhhNk1M8
However, I have learned that the Red River Valley does not lead to Frankenmuth. Fortunately, M-83 does lead there, so I was able to get to Frankenmuth to see this doubleheader between the Millington Cardinals and the Frankenmuth Eagles. Both of these teams are strong and experienced.
Here are the starting lineups for the first game! Millington will bat first and Frankenmuth is the home team.
MILLINGTON:
Ashley Ziel p
Leah Coleman rf
Lilly Sherman 1b
Trinity Fessler c
Shannon Ziel lf
Emma Dickie cf
Dylan Holmes ss
Falon Wilson 2b
Kendall Payne dp
Leila Damm will play third base, but will not bat.
FRANKENMUTH:
Maggie Thiel 3b
Tiffany Keller rf
Faith Breinager ss
Brooklyn Compau p
Payton Schafnitz 2b
Nicole Rodammer c
Kendall Thompson 1b
Emily Worden dp
Kennedy Crandall cf
Jordan Decker will play left field, but will not bat.
Ashley Ziel led off the game for Millington with a double to the right field fence. Brooklyn Compau struck out the next two batters. After Ashley Ziel took third base on a wild pitch, Brooklyn Compau struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Maggie Thiel walked to lead off the first inning for Frankenmuth. Ashley Ziel struck out the next too Eagle batters and retired the following batter on a foul popup to the catcher.
Brooklyn Compau struck out the Cardinal leadoff batter to open the second inning. Emma Dickie drew a walk. Brooklyn Compau struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Eagles’ Payton Schafnitz was safe at first base on an error to open the inning. Payton Schafnitz advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Rodammer and took third base on a grounder to the shortstop by Kendall Thompson. Cardinal First Baseman Lilly Sherman snagged a hot liner off the bat of Emily Worden to end the inning.
Kendall Payne led off the third inning for Millington with a single. Eagle Catcher Nicole Rodammer made a fine throw to catch the runner stealing second base. Ashley Ziel boomed a home run over the center field fence to give Millington the lead. Brooklyn Compau struck out the next hitter. Lilly Sherman grounded a single to right field. Brooklyn Compau got the third out of the inning on a fly to second base.
In the middle of the third inning, Millington had a 1-0 lead.
Ashley Ziel struck out the Frankenmuth leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cardinal Centerfielder Emma Dickie made a fine running catch to record the second out. Tiffany Keller lined a single to left-center field and took second base on a wild pitch. Frankenmuth made its third out on a fly to left field.
Frankenmuth first baseman Kendall Thompson made a nice quick reaction to snare a Cardinal foul ball at first base to record the first out of the top of the fourth inning. Brooklyn Compau retired the next two hitters on a fly to left field and a strikeout.
Brooklyn Compau drew a walk to open the bottom of the fourth inning for the Eagles. Rose Spero entered the game as a courtesy runner for Brooklyn Compau. Ashley Ziel retired the next three batters on a strikeout, a fly to center field and another strikeout.
After four innings, Millington held a 1-0 lead.
Brooklyn Compau retired the three Cardinal fifth inning batters on a strikeout, a popup to third base and a fly to right field.
Emily Worden led off the Frankenmuth fifth inning with a double off the center field fence. Jordan Decker pinch ran for Emily Worden. Ashley Ziel struck out the next batter. When the catcher missed the third strike, the runner was thrown out at first base as Jordan Decker moved up to third base. With a runner at third and one out, Millington Shortstop Dylan Holmes made a great judgement and threw the runner out at home on a grounder. Maggie Thiel was on first base (after a grounder that would have produced an RBI in almost any situation.) Ashley Ziel struck out the next batter to end the inning while holding Frankenmuth scoreless.
Leah Coleman pounded a home run over the centerfield fence to lead off the sixth inning for Millington. After Brooklyn Compau retired the next hitter on a foul fly to third base, Trinity Fessler grounded a single up the middle. The runner was ruled out when she left first base too early after the pitch. Shannon Ziel was safe on an error. Brooklyn Compau struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Millington scored one run in the top of the sixth inning to extend the lead to 2-0.
Millington Shortstop Dylan Holmes made a fine play ranging back and catching a bid for a single off the bat of Tiffany Keller as she fell down for the first Eagle out of the sixth inning. Ashley Ziel retired the next batter on a ground ball to third base. Brooklyn Compau drew a walk and Rose Spero came into the game as a courtesy runner. Ashley Ziel retired the final batter of the inning on a soft liner to the pitcher’s circle.
Brooklyn Compau retired the three Millington seventh inning batters on a grounder to the shortstop followed by two strikeouts.
Nicole Rodammer led off the Frankenmuth seventh inning with a walk. After Ashley Ziel struck out the next batter, Nicole Rodammer advanced to second base on a grounder by Emily Worden. Ashley Ziel struck out the final batter to end the game.
Millington won the first game of this doubleheader by a 2-0 score.
Emily Worden had a double and Tiffany Keller had a single for Frankenmuth. Brooklyn Compau pitched a complete game. She gave up just two runs and struck out eleven Cardinal batters.
Ashley Ziel had a home run, a double and one RBI for Millington. Leah Coleman had a home run and an RBI. Lilly Sherman, Trinity Fessler and Kendall Payne each had a single.
Ashley Ziel pitched a complete game shutout. She gave up only two hits and struck out seven batters.
Here is the play by play of the second game of this double header. I’d also like to thank the coaches of both teams for their help and patience in getting me the information I needed to write these articles.