Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Trenton – – MHSAA Division 2 Softball Final – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 18, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft

After nearly three months of softball, the season comes down to this final game between the Trenton Trojans and the Lancers from Stevensville Lakeshore. Your Bleacher Denizen was privileged to cover both of Thursday’s semifinal games. For those of you who wish to see how these teams got over their final hurdle, here is a link to each semifinal game!

Stevensville Lakeshore:

https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2022/06/16/escanaba-vs-stevensville-lakeshore-mhsaa-division-2-softball-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-june-16-2022-by-chuck-krafft/

Trenton:

https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2022/06/16/essexville-garber-vs-trenton-mhsaa-division-2-softball-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-june-15-2022-by-chuck-krafft/

While we are waiting for these teams to warm up, here is an original tune from my “Chuck Krafft” You Tube Channel for you to enjoy!

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

Stevensville Lakeshore is 39-4 on the year and is rated an honorable mention team in the state. Here are some of their top players. Please note that these statistics are from before the semifinal game.

Gianna Kerschbaum is hitting .387 to go along with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs. She has won 11 games as a pitcher as well and has a 1.95 ERA on the season. Olivia DenDooven is batting .363. Pallas Dominion is batting .357 with 32 RBI. She has also stolen 14 bases. Anna Chellman is hitting .394 with 32 RBI. Eden Gray is batting .350. Ava Mullen has won 14 games and Avery Arwood has won 11 games. All three pitchers have an ERA of less than 2.00.

Trenton has a 32-10 record and is an honorable mention team in the state rankings. Here are some of their top players. Again, these do not include the semifinal game from Thursday.

Annika Segedi is hitting .522 and has stolen 25 bases. Olivia Hickman is hitting .465 to go along with 20 doubles. London Williams is batting .512 with 18 doubles and 57 RBI as well as 12 stolen bases. Molly Edmunds is batting .364. Kendyl Gearhart has a .330 average. Gracie Rickman is batting .347 with 32 RBI.

London Williams also pitches and has contributed a 6-0 record to go with a 2.15 ERA. Aila Johnson has a 21-9 pitching record to go along with a 2.47 ERA.

It is a beautiful sunny, but not too hot day. This should be ideal softball weather!

Here are the starting lineups. Lakeshore will bat first and Trenton will be the home team.

LAKESHORE:

Gianna Kerschbaum cf

Gabby Solloway ss

Anna Chellman 3b

Eden Gray dp

Pallas Dominion 2b

Ava Mullen p

Olivia DenDooven 1b

Natalia Najera c

Eva Kerschbaum lf

Anna Prosser will play right field, but will not bat.

TRENTON:

Annika Segedi 2b

Gracie Rickman 3b

London Williams ss

Olivia Hickman c

Molly Edmunds rf

Kendyl Gearhart 1b

Aleah Tanguay cf

Analy Guth dp

Maddie Dobbs rf

Aila Johnson will pitch, but will not bat.

It is now time to review the events of this game through the occasionally clear lens of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to play baseball and softball in the days of yore. However, he will happily note that catchers and umpires always were thrilled by the stiff breezes generated by the Bleacher Denizen’s flailing attempts to hit baseballs!

In the top of the first inning, Trenton Pitcher Aila Johnson retired the Lakeshore leadoff batter on a foul popup to the catcher. Trenton Leftfielder Molly Edmunds made a fine running catch to record the second out. After her bid for extra bases fell foul by mere inches, Anna Chellman beat out an infield single up the middle. Anna Chellman stole second base. Trenton second baseman Annika Segedi made a nice play ranging to her right to throw out the next batter to end the inning.

Ava Mullen retired the three Trenton hitters in the bottom of the first inning on two groundouts to the pitcher and a popup to second base.

Trenton Second Baseman Annika Segedi went back into the outfield to make a nice catch of a popup by the Lakeshore second inning leadoff batter. Ava Mullen hit a solid single to centerfield. Jossalyn Schmaltz entered the game as a courtesy runner and took second base on a groundout to third base by Olivia DenDooven. Aila Johnson retired the next batter on a soft liner to second base to end the inning.

Ava Mullen retired the three Trenton batters in the bottom of the second inning on a grounder to second base, a strikeout and a grounder to the shortstop.

The game was scoreless after two innings.

Aila Johnson struck out the Lancer leadoff hitter in the third inning. Gianna Kerschbaum singled down the third base line. Gabby Solloway moved Gianna Kerschbaum to second base with a groundout to first base. Aila Johnson retired the next batter on a soft fly to second base to end the inning.

Aleah Tanguay walked to lead off the bottom of the third inning for the Trojans. She went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Analy Guth. Aleah Tanguay stole third base to give the Trojans a runner at third base with one out. Lancer First Baseman Olivia DenDooven made a great diving catch of a foul bunt to record the second Trojan out. Annika Segedi beat out an infield single to drive Aleah Tanguay home.

Gracie Rickman singled to left field and Annika Segedi advanced to second base. Ava Mullen retired the next batter on a soft fly to second base.

Trenton scored one run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead.

Eden Gray led off the top of the fourth inning for the Lancers and took second base on a sacrifice bunt by Pallas Dominion. Aila Johnson retired the next two batters on a popup to third base and a grounder to the pitcher.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Trojan leadoff hitter Olivia Hickman was safe on an error. Jordyn Emery entered the game as a courtesy runner for Olivia Hickman. Lancer Third Baseman Anna Chellman wisely allowed a bunt by Molly Edmunds to roll foul; it would have been hard to throw her out at first base. Jordyn Emery advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Avery Arwood came in to pitch for Lakeshore.

Avery Arwood finished striking out the Trenton batter. Kendyl Gearhart singled to center field. Lakeshore Centerfielder Gianna Kerschbaum quickly threw to Shortstop Gabby Solloway, who threw out the runner at home attempting to score. Kendyl Gearhart took second base on the throw home. Aleah Tanguay singled to drive in Kendyl Gearhart. Avery Arwood struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Trenton scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to push their lead to 2-0.

Natalia Najera walked to lead off the top of the fifth inning for the Lancers. Aley Chavez entered the game as a courtesy runner for Natalia Najera. Pinch hitter Jossalyn Schmaltz was out on a popup to first base. Gianna Kerschbaum was hit by a pitch and Aley Chavez advanced to second base. Gabby Solloway singled to the outfield and took third base on an error as Aley Chavez and Gianna Kerschbaum scored. Gabby Solloway scored on Anna Chellman’s RBI groundout to third base. Aila Johnson retired the next hitter on a fly to the shortstop to end the inning.

Stevensville Lakeshore scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Avery Arwood struck out Trenton’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth inning. Annika Segedi singled to left field. Gracie Hickman’s bloop dropped into left field. Because the runner on first had to be careful about avoiding being doubled off first base if the ball was caught, left fielder Eva Kerschbaum was able to throw to second base for the force out. Lancer Centerfielder Gianna Kerschbaum made a nice running catch to secure the third out.

Pallas Dominion ripped a double down the third base line to lead off the top of the sixth inning for the Lancers. Pallas Dominion got to third base when an error was made as she tried to steal the base. Pallas Dominion came in to score on a sacrifice bunt by Olivia DenDooven, who made it to first base when the throw went to home plate. Trenton Catcher Olivia Hickman threw to second base to catch the runner trying to advance. Aila Johnson retired the next batter on a popup to the shortstop to end the inning.

Lakeshore scored one run in the top of the sixth inning to extend its lead to 4-2.

Olivia Hickman singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for Trenton. Jordyn Emery came in as a courtesy runner for Olivia Hickman. Jordyn Emery advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Molly Edmunds. Avery Arwood retired the next two Trojan hitters on a fly to right field and a fly to first base to end the inning.

Eva Kerschbaum was safe on an error to lead off the top of the seventh inning for the Lancers. Eva Kerschbaum advanced to second base on a groundout to the pitcher by Gianna Kerschbaum. Gabby Solloway was hit by a pitch. Anna Chellman doubled to left field to drive in Eva Kerschbaum as Gabby Solloway went to third base. Gabby Solloway scored on a sacrifice fly by Eden Gray; Anna Chellman held at second base. Aila Johnson Johnson retired the next batter on a fly to centerfield to end the inning.

Lakeshore scored to runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead.

Lakeshore Pitcher Avery Arwood struck out Pinch Hitters Maddie Howe and Anica Allstead to start out the bottom of the seventh inning. Avery Arwood retired the next batter on a fly to shortstop to end the game.

The Lancers from Stevensville Lakeshore are State Champions in Division 2 Softball!!

Annika Segedi had two singles and one RBI for Trenton. Aleah Tanguay had a single and one RBI. Gracie Rickman, Olivia Hickman and Kendall Gearhart each had a single.

Alia Johnson pitched the entire game for Trenton. Only two of the runs scored against her were earned runs.

Anna Chellman had a single, a double and two RBI for Stevensville Lakeshore. Eden Gray had a single and one RBI. Pallas Dominion had a double. Gianna Kerschbaum, Gabby Solloway and Ava Mullen each had a single. Olivia DenDooven had one RBI.

Ava Mullen pitched three innings for the Lancers and gave up one run. Winning Pitcher Avery Arwood pitched four innings and gave up one unearned run. She struck out five Trenton batters.

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