Millington vs. Richmond – – MHSAA Division 3 Softball Quarterfinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 14, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft
This afternoon, the Millington Cardinals will face the Blue Devils from Richmond in a Michigan High School Athletic Association Softball Quarterfinal!! It’s a hot muggy day. Your Bleacher Denizen made the trip from Lansing to Saginaw State Valley University and thanks to a handy map of the college, your Bleacher Denizen managed to find the stadium without getting lost!
It was great as I had plenty of time to get rosters, get lineups and talk with a bunch of Millington fans. While we are waiting for the game to start, let’s take a minute to listen to some old-time honky-tonk piano from my “Chuck Krafft” You Tube Channel!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAyGsC_FuNo
Here are the starting lineups. Richmond will bat first and Millington will be the home team.
RICHMOND:
Emmi Hildreth lf
Olivia Theut 2b
Piper Clark ss
Lauren Creon cf
Ashley Stafford c
Liz Shuboy 1b
Katie Shuboy p
Lauren Teltow 3b
Lauryn Ziza rf
MILLINGTON
Ashley Ziel p
Leah Coleman rf
Lilia Sherman 1b
Trinity Fessler c
Dylan Holmes ss
Emma Dickie cf
Falon Wilson 2b
Shannon Ziel lf
Kendall Payne dp
Leila Damm will play third base, but will not bat.
It is now time to look through the events of this game from the somewhat open eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to play on a school baseball or softball game. I struggled with a lot of the terminology. Specifically, it was way too late before I learned the in baseball and softball, we steal BASES, not VASES. Alas, after four shoplifting arrests and one (unfortunately, but accidentally) shattered priceless Ming Vase, your Bleacher Denizen was removed from the roster and never allowed to return.
Ashley Ziel struck out the Blue Devil leadoff batter in the top of the first inning and retired the next hitter on a foul popup to the catcher. Piper Clark drew a walk. Richmond made its final out of the inning on a grounder to the shortstop.
The Cardinal leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning was out on a foul popup where Richmond First Baseman Liz Shuboy made a great running grab. Blue Devil Pitcher Katie Shuboy struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.
Ashley Ziel retired the three Richmond hitters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to shortstop, a strikeout and a fly to centerfield by Katie Shuboy where the Cardinals’ Emma Dickie ran back near the fence to make the catch.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Millington batters in the bottom of the second inning on a grounder to second base, a strikeout and a liner to the shortstop.
The three Richmond third inning batters went down on a bunt that Millington Pitcher Ashley Ziel dove to catch and two strikeouts.
Falon Wilson bounced a past second base to lead off the fourth inning for the Cardinals. Katie Shuboy struck out the next two Millington hitters. Ashley Ziel lined a single to left field and Falon Wilson advanced to second base. Katie Shuboy struck out the next batter to end the inning.
After three innings, the game was scoreless.
Ashley Ziel struck out the first two Blue Devil batters to start out the top of the fourth inning. Lauren Creon grounded a single to right field. Ashley Stafford lined a single to center field to send Lauren Creon to second base. Katherine Chrostowski came in as a courtesy runner for Ashley Stafford. Richmond made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the third baseman.
Lilia Sherman belted a solo home run over the right-center field fence to lead off the fourth inning for Millington. Trinity Fessler lined a single to right field and advanced to second base when Dylan Holmes was hit by a pitch. Richmond Pitcher Katie Shuboy retired the next hitter on a fouled bunt to the catcher.
Falon Wilson was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. The runner was out at second and Trinity Fessler moved to third base; there was an over throw on the play which allowed Trinity Fessler to score and Falon Wilson to advance to second base. Katie Shuboy struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Millington scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Ashley Ziel retired the three Blue Devil batters in the top of the fifth inning on a strikeout, a foul popup to the catcher and another strikeout.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Cardinal batters in the bottom of the fifth inning on a strikeout, a foul popup to first base where Liz Shuboy made her second great running catch of the game and another strikeout.
In the top of the sixth inning, the first two Blue Devil batters were out on a fly to third base and a strikeout. Piper Clark singled to left field. Ashley Ziel dove to stop a grounder by the next hitter and threw to first base to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Katie Shuboy retired the three Cardinal batters on a grounder to the shortstop, a foul popup to third base and a strikeout.
After six innings, Millington still held a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Ashley Ziel retired the first two Richmond batters on a fly to the shortstop and a strikeout. Katie Shuboy singled to left-center field. Abbey Rinehart entered the game as a courtesy runner. Ashley Ziel got the final out of the game on a grounder to the pitcher’s circle.
Millington won the game and will face Algonac in the semifinal at 10 AM on Friday.
Piper Clark, Lauren Creon, Ashley Stafford and Katie Shuboy each had a single for Richmond. Katie Shuboy pitched the entire game for the Blue Devils. She allowed two runs and four hits. (One of the runs was an unearned run.) She also struck out ten Cardinal batters.
Lilia Sherman had a home run and one RBI for Millington. Ashley Ziel, Trinity Fessler and Falon Wilson each had a single. Ashley Ziel pitched a complete game four hit shutout. She struck out eleven Blue Devil batters.