Portland St. Patrick vs. Holt – – Hall of Fame Softball Classic – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 1, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, after a few rain delays, we will be playing the Hall of Fame Softball Classic Quarterfinal game between the Holt Rams and the Shamrocks from Portland St. Patrick. Ranney Park is always a great place to watch a game! While the teams warm up, here’s an original tune from my “Chuck Krafft” You Tube Channel to listen to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol3R-ZL9568

Here are the starting lineups! Holt will bat first and St. Patrick will be the home team.

HOLT:

Jadyn Joseph ss

Aliya McFadden 2b

Eva Curtis 1b

Katie Lackman p

Abby McCartney c

Alana Knox cf

Kaelyn Rozycki rf

Kamdyn Coon dp

Sadie Laubenthal 3b

Olivia Root will play left field, but not bat.

ST. PATRICK:

Rylee Scheurer p

Carly Scheurer cf

Lydia Meredith ss

Mara Schrauben 3b

Addy Scheurer c

Natalee Teachworth 1b

Emma Honsowitz 2b

Tori Sandborn lf

Laynie Meredith rf

It is now time to review the events of this game through the occasionally observant eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen whose softball career was severely impacted when he learned that he would not be allowed to use a cannon for his throws from the outfield.

St. Patrick pitcher Rylee Scheurer retired the Holt leadoff batter in the first inning on a ground out to the shortstop. Aliya McFadden beat out an infield single. The runner was out at second and Eva Curtis was safe at first on a fielders’ choice grounder to second base. Holt made its third out on a squib fielded by the catcher.

Rylee Scheurer walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Shamrocks. Ram Pitcher Katie Lackman struck out the next hitter. Rylee Scheurer advanced to second base on a passed ball. Katie Lackman retired the next two batters on flies to the shortstop.

Rylee Scheurer struck out the Holt leadoff batter to open the top of the second inning. Alana Knox lined a single to center field. Katelyn Rozycki pounded a home run over the left-center field fence; Alana Knox also came home. Rylee Scheurer struck out the next batter. Sadie Laubenthal was safe at first on an error. Rylee Scheurer struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Holt scored two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Katie Lackman struck out the Shamrock leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning. Natalee Teachworth singled to right field. Katie Lackman struck out the next Shamrock hitter. Natalee Teachworth took second base on a wild pitch. Tori Sandborn walked. Holt Centerfielder Alana Knox alertly backed up an overthrown pickoff to prevent the Shamrock runners from advancing. Katie Lackman struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Aliya McFadden led off the third inning for Holt by belting a double to right field. Eva Curtis smacked a double to right field to drive in Aliya McFadden. Rylee Scheurer retired the next Ram hitter on a fly to center field. Eva Curtis advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Abby McCartney. Rylee Scheurer retired the next hitter on a grounder to shortstop to end the inning.

Holt scored one run in the top of the third inning to boost its lead to 3-0.

Rylee Scheurer sharply singled down the third base line to open the bottom of the third inning for the Shamrocks. Rylee Scheurer stole second base. An error was made on Carly Scheurer’s sacrifice bunt; Rylee Scheurer advanced to third base and Carly Scheurer was safe at first base. Rylee Scheurer scored and Carly Scheurer zipped all the way to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Lydia Meredith. Mara Schrauben was safe at first and the runner out at home on a fielder’s choice bunt to the pitcher. The Shamrocks made their third out on a fly to right field.

St. Patrick scored one run in the bottom of the third inning to shave the Holt lead to 3-1.

Shamrock third baseman Mara Schrauben made a fine play to retire the Ram leadoff hitter on a slow roller down the baseline. Rylee Scheurer retired the next two batters on ground balls to the shortstop to end the inning.

Katie Lackman retired the first two Shamrock hitters on the fourth inning on a strikeout and a grounder to the pitcher’s circle. Tori Sandborn walked. Holt Centerfielder Alana Knox made a nice running catch of a drive by Laynie Meredith to end the inning.

With four innings in the books, the Holt lead was at 3-1.

St. Patrick Shortstop Lydia Meredith made a fine backhanded stop of a shot by Jadyn Joseph and threw to first to record the first out of the top of the fifth inning for Holt. Rylee Scheurer retired the next two Ram batters on a grounder to shortstop and a popup to first base to end the inning.

Rylee Scheurer beat out a bunt single to open the bottom of the fifth inning for the Shamrocks. Rylee Scheurer stole second base. Carly Scheurer was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to Holt Shortstop Jadyn Joseph, who made a clever play to catch the runner off second base for the first Shamrock out. Lydia Meredith blasted a home run to left-center field; Carly Scheurer also scored on the play. Ram Pitcher Katie Lackman struck out the next Shamrock hitter. Addy Scheurer beat out an infield hit. Katie Lackman struck out pinch hitter Bella Meyers to end the inning.

St. Patrick scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

Rylee Scheurer retired the three Ram sixth inning hitters on a grounder to first base, a foul popup to the catcher and a strikeout.

Emma Honsowitz belted a home run to left-center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for the Shamrocks. Katie Lackman retired the next two Shamrock hitters on a strikeout and a grounder to third base. Rylee Scheurer punched a single to left field. She took second base and then third base on wild pitches. Carly Scheurer drew a walk. Lydia Meredith was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Mara Schrauben lined a single to center field to drive in Rylee Scheurer and Cary Scheurer. Lydia Meredith advanced to third base. Hannah Weller came in to pinch run for Mara Schrauben and stole second base. The next Shamrock hitter was out on a fly to the shortstop to end the inning.

St. Patrick (the team, not the Saint himself) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead.

Rylee Scheurer retired the Ram seventh inning leadoff batter on a grounder to third base. Shamrock Third Baseman Mara Schrauben snared a liner by Ram Pinch Hitter Alanna Garcia. Sadie Laubenthal rapped a sharp single to left field. Jadyn Joseph rapped a single down the third base line. Sadie Laubenthal advanced to second base. Holt made the final out of the game on a popup to first base.

St. Patrick won its game 6-3 and will advance to Thursday’s semifinal game.

Katelyn Rozycki had a home run and two RBI for Holt. Aliya McFadden had a double and a single. Eva Curtis had a double and one RBI. Jadyn Joseph, Alana Knox and Sadie Laubenthal each had a single.

Katie Lackman pitched a complete game for the Rams.

Lydia Meredith had a home run and three RBI for the Shamrocks. She was named player of the game! Emma Honsowitz had a home run and one RBI. Rylee Scheurer had three singles and pitched the complete game for St. Patrick. Mara Schrauben had a bases loaded single and two RBI. Addy Scheurer and Natalee Teachworth each had a single.

In a personal note, tonight is your Bleacher Denizen’s birthday. When Lydia Meredith and Mara Schrauben wished me a happy birthday, I joked that I want to see a home run from each of them. I never expected it to happen. However, Lydia blasted a home run and Mara got a clutch two out bases loaded single to put the game away! I don’t claim to have psychic powers, but it was still fun to watch!!

Here is a link to the Grand Ledge/Fowlerville game that was played after this one!

https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2022/06/01/fowlerville-vs-grand-ledge-hall-of-fame-softball-classic-the-bleacher-denizen-june-1-2022-by-chuck-krafft/