Fowler at St. Johns – – Softball Doubleheader – – First Game – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 19, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

This afternoon, your Bleacher Denizen is at St. Johns where the Redwings will host the Fowler Eagles in a softball doubleheader. This game was rescheduled from Monday, but I entertained at a nursing home in St. Johns today and was done in time to slide over and watch today’s games.

While we wait for the game to start, why don’t we listen to this rendition of the Tijuana Brass’ Lonely Bull from my You Tube Channel! Trumpeter extraordinaire John Rickert does a beautiful job! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmJmDiyf3ps

Here are the starting lineups:

FOWLER:

Avery Koenigsknecht c

Grace Piggott 3b

Saige Miller ss

Paisley Hansen 1b

Bri Halfmann p

Addison Spicer rf

Chloe Feldpausch cf

Emma Smith lf

Makenna Smith 2b

ST. JOHNS:

Kendall White cf

Mackenzie Lowe lf

Madison Helms dp

Kaidyn Foerster rf

Karissa Greider p

Rylee Hall 2b

Abby Tisdale 3b

Bella Sharick 1b

Adriannah Ingleright c

Laila Wright will play shortstop, but not bat.

It is now time to review the events of this game through the eager eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who broke up a no-hitter once when he played in Little League. I do admit that this feat loses at least some luster when I reveal that I was standing in center field when a catchable ball dropped in to accomplish this.

Also, I’m not sure why, but once the game started, Laila Wright batted second for the Redwings the entire game.

Avery Koenigsknecht tripled to deep right field to open the game for Fowler. Grace Piggott doubled off the shortstop’s glove to drive in Avery Koenigsknecht. Saige Miller singled up the middle to drive in Grace Piggott. Saige Miller stole second base. Paisley Hansen hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field to drive Saige Miller all the way home from second base.

Bri Halfmann singled to left field and stole second base. The next Eagle hitter was out on a fly to left field. Chloe Feldpausch grounded a single to left field to drive Bri Halfmann home. She advanced to second base on the throw home. Emma Smith lined a single up the middle to drive in Emma Smith. Fowler made the third out of the inning on a fly to first base.

Fowler scored five runs in the top of the first inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Bri Halfmann retired the three Redwing batters in the bottom of the first inning on a fly to right field a strikeout and a one hopper to the pitcher’s circle.

In the top of the second inning, Karissa Greider retired the first two Eagle hitters on a grounder to second base and a liner to second base. After Saige Miller was hit by a pitch, Karissa Greider struck out the next batter to hold Fowler scoreless for the inning.

Kaidyn Foerster was hit by a pitch to open the second inning for St. Johns. Karissa Greider singled to move Kaidyn Foerster to second base. Kennedy Larrison entered the game to pinch run for Karissa Greider. Rylee Hall singled to left field to drive in Kaidyn Foerster. Kennedy Larrison went to second base on the play. Abby Tisdale singled to right field. Kennedy Larrison went to third base and Rylee Hall to second.

Bella Sharick was safe on an error. Kennedy Larrison and Rylee Hall scored on the play. Abby Tisdale went to second base. Abby Tisdale took third base and Bella Sharick advanced to second base on the throw home. The next batter was out when she stepped out of the batter’s box. Bri Halfmann retired the next two hitters on a strikeout and a grounder to second base.

St. Johns scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to trim the Fowler lead to 5-3.

Bri Halfmann beat out an infield single to open the top of the third inning for the Eagles. She advanced to second base on Addison Spicer’s groundout to second base. Bri Halfmann stole third base and came home on a throwing error. Chloe Feldpausch singled up the middle. She stole second base and advanced to third base on a groundout to first base by Emma Smith. Karissa Greider retired the next batter on a grounder to the pitcher’s circle to hold Fowler to one run for the inning.

Fowler scored one run in the top of the third inning to boost its lead to 6-3.

Madison Helms singled to left field to open the bottom of the third inning for St. Johns. She advanced to second base when Kaidyn Foerster was safe on an error. Fowler right fielder Addison Spicer made a fine throw to third base to catch the runner trying to advance as Kaidyn Foerster held at first base. Bri Halfmann struck out the next Redwing batter. Rylee Hall belted a triple off the left field fence to drive in Kaidyn Foerster. St. Johns made its third out on a fly to center field.

St. Johns scored one run in the bottom of the third inning to trim the Fowler lead to 6-4.

Karissa Greider retired the Fowler leadoff hitter in the top of the fourth inning on a fly to center field. Grace Piggott beat out an infield single and took second base on a passed ball. Saige Miller doubled to drive Grace Piggott home. Saige Miller stole third base on a delayed steal play and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Paisley Hansen. Fowler made its third out on a fly to left field.

Fowler scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 8-4.

Bri Halfmann retired the St. Johns leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning on a popup to second base. Adriannah Ingleright walked and stole second base. Bri Halfmann struck out the next two Redwing hitters to end the inning.

Addison Spicer was safe at first on an error to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Fowler. Karissa Greider retired the next Eagle hitter on a foul popup to the catcher. Emma Smith lined a single to left field to move Addison Spicer to second base. Makenna Smith was safe at first and Addison Spicer out at third on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher. Fowler made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to second base.

Madison Helms walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for St. Johns. Madison Helms advanced to second base when Kaidyn Foerster lined a single off the shortstop’s glove. Bri Halfmann struck out the next two batters and cot the third out on a great running catch of a foul ball by Eagle third baseman Grace Piggott.

After five innings, Fowler had an 8-4 lead.

Grace Piggott beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for Fowler. Saige Miller lined out to the shortstop; the runner was doubled off first base. Karissa Greider retired the next batter on a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.

Bella Sharick walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for St. Johns. Adriana Longoria came in to pinch run for Bella Sharick and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Bri Halfmann struck out the next three batters to hold the Redwings scoreless for the bottom of the sixth inning.

Fowler took an 8-4 lead into the top of the seventh inning.

Bri Halfmann opened the seventh inning for Fowler by blasting a home run over the left field fence. Addison Spicer walked. Rachel Wirth came in to pinch run for the Eagles. Rachel Wirth stole second base. Karissa Greider struck out the next Eagle batter. Rachel Wirth advanced to third base on a groundout to second base by Emma Smith. Makenna Smith walked.

Rachel Wirth and Makenna Smith scored when Avery Koenigsknecht was safe at first base on an error. Avery Koenigsknecht stole second base and advanced to third when Grace Piggott beat out an infield single. Avery Koenigsknecht scored and Grace Piggott went to third base on a wild pitch. Grace Piggott came around to score when a throwing error was made on the play. Karissa Greider retired the next batter on a foul popup to the catcher to end the inning.

Fowler scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to push its lead to 13-4.

Bri Halfmann struck out the Redwing leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. She retired the next hitter on a grounder to second base. Karissa Greider smashed a double to deep left field. Kennedy Larrison came in to pinch run for Karissa Greider. Kennedy Larrison advanced to third base when Rylee Hall was safe at first base on an error. Rylee Hall stole second base. Abby Tisdale walked to load the bases. Bella Sharick doubled to right field; Kennedy Larrison, Rylee Hall and Abby Tisdale all scored on the play.

Bri Halfmann retired the next hitter on a bouncer to the pitcher to end the game.

St. Johns scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fowler won the game by the final score of 13-7.

Rylee Hall had a triple, a single and two RBI for St. Johns. Karissa Greider had a double and a single. Bella Sharick had a double and four RBI. Abby Tisdale, Madison Helms and Kaidyn Foerster each had a single.

Karissa Greider pitched a complete game for St. Johns.

Bri Halfmann had a home run, two singles and one RBI for Fowler. Grace Piggott had a double, three singles and one RBI. Saige Miller had a double, a single and two RBI. Chloe Feldpausch and Emma Smith each had two singles and one RBI. Avery Koenigsknecht had a triple. Paisley Hansen had two RBI.

Bri Halfmann pitched a complete game for Fowler and struck out eleven batters.

Here is the second game of the doubleheader!! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/04/20/fowler-at-st-johns-softball-doubleheader-second-game-the-bleacher-denizen-april-19-2023-by-chuck-krafft/