Ithaca at Millington – – Softball Doubleheader – – Game 2 – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 15, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft
This is the second game of today’s softball doubleheader where the Yellowjackets of Ithaca are taking on the host Cardinals from Millington. Here is a link to the events of the first game!! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/05/16/ithaca-at-millington-softball-doubleheader-game-1-the-bleacher-denizen-may-15-2023-by-chuck-krafft/
As we wait for Game 2 to get started, I hope you will enjoy these solo piano Good Vibrations from my You Tube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3482fQh0Rdo
Here are the starting lineups for game two. Even though the games are being played in Millington, Ithaca will be the home team and Millington will bat first. The Bleacher Denizen will work very hard to fight off confusion. The mind boggles!!!
MILLINGTON CARDINALS:
Morgan Matusik p
Kendall Payne cf
Lillia Sherman 1b
Lilly Damm ss
Karlie Sherman c
Kennedy Frahm lf
Leila Damm 3b
Olivia Jones dp
Kamryn Blackmer 2b
Reese Holmes will play right field, but will not bat.
ITHACA YELLOWJACKETS:
Kennedi Ryan p
Ivy Davenport ss
Lauryn Humphrey 1b
Megan Mankey cf
Emmalee Shankel c
Madison Carman rf
Faith Fisher 3b
Hayden Whitmore lf
Quinne McMurphy 2b
It is now time to report the events of this game through the occasionally clear prism of an aging Bleacher Denizen whose softball career never took off after the softball powers that be refused to allow him to use a bazooka to make sure his throws got back from the outfield got back to the infield quickly!
Morgan Matusik singled to left field to lead off the game for the Cardinals; she went to third base when Kendall Payne ripped a double to the center field fence. Morgan Matusik scored and Kendall Payne went to third base when Lillia Sherman was safe at first base on an error. Lilly Damm lined a vicious single to right field to drive in Kendall Payne as Lillia Sherman advanced to second base.
Lillia Sherman went to third base and Lilly Damm to second on Karlie Sherman’s groundout to first base. Lillia Sherman scored and Lilly Damm took third base on Kennedy Frahm’s RBI grounder to first base. Kennedi Ryan struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Millington scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Kennedi Ryan was hit hard by a pitch on the ankle to lead off the first inning for Ithaca. Alyssa McPherson entered the game as a courtesy runner for Kennedi Ryan and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Morgan Matusik retired the next Yellowjacket batter on a soft liner to first base. Alyssa McPherson took third base when Lauryn Humphrey was safe at first base on an error. Megan Mankey singled to right field to drive in Alyssa McPherson. Lauryn Humphrey advanced to second base.
Lauryn Humphrey was out at third base and Megan Mankey went to second base when Emmalee Shankel was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Morgan Matusik struck out the next hitter to end the inning.
Ithaca scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to trim the Millington lead to 3-1.
Olivia Jones lined a single to center field to lead off the top of the second inning for the Cards. Kennedi Ryan retired the next hitter on a fly to the shortstop. Morgan Matusik singled to right field and Olivia Jones advanced to second base. Olivia Jones scored and Morgan Matusik took second base when Kendall Payne was safe at first base on an error.
Lillia Sherman lined a single to center field. Morgan Matusik scored and Kendall Payne went to third base. Lillia Sherman went to second base on the throw to third base. Lilly Damm doubled to deep right field to drive in Kendall Payne and Lillia Sherman. Lilly Damm moved to third base on Karlie Sherman’s groundout to second base. Lilly Damm scored with Kennedy Frahm was safe on an error at first base. Kennedy Frahm advanced to third base when Leila Damm was safe at first base on an error. Kennedi Ryan got the third Cardinal out on a popup to first base.
Millington scored five runs in the top of the second inning to push its lead to 8-1.
Lillia Sherman left first base to take over the pitching duties for Millington. Morgan Matusik moved out to right field and Olivia Jones went to first base.
Faith Fisher singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning for Ithaca. Hayden Whitmore singled to center field and Faith Fisher advanced to second base. The next batter was out on a fly to right field. Cardinal Right Fielder Morgan Matusik whipped the ball to second base to double the runner (who had left second base too soon) off. Hayden Whitmore got to second base Hayden Whitmore took third base on a wild pitch. Kennedi Ryan walked and stole second base.
Ivy Davenport belted a hard liner that barely ticked off the pitchers glove and easily got into center field to drive in Hayden Whitmore and Kennedi Ryan. Lillia Sherman retired the next Yellowjacket hitter on a fly to right field to end the inning.
Ithaca scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to cut into the Millington lead. After two full innings, the Millington lead was at 8-3.
Kamryn Blackmer singled up the middle to lead off the top of the third inning for Millington. Kamryn Blackmer went to second base on a bunt single by Morgan Matusik. Kamryn Blackmer scored and Morgan Matusik got to second base on an Ithaca throwing error. Morgan Matusik accidentally interfered with Ithaca’s shortstop and was called out on Kendall Payne’s grounder. Kendall Payne reached first base safely.
Lillia Sherman doubled to move Kendall Payne to third base. Kendall Payne scored and Lillia Sherman moved to third base on Lilly Damm’s RBI groundout to second base. Karlie Sherman doubled to right center field to drive Lillia Sherman home. Kennedi Ryan retired the next Cardinal hitter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Millington scored three runs in the top of the third inning to push its lead to 11-3.
Lillia Sherman retired Ithaca’s first hitter in the bottom of the third inning on a great catch of a soft fly at second base by Kamryn Blackman. She got the next hitter out when she reacted quickly to a hot shot to the pitcher’s circle and threw to first base. Madison Carman singled to center field. Faith Fisher grounded a single to center field and Madison Carman moved to second base. Ithaca made its third out of the inning on a fly to right field.
Leila Damm singled to right field to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Ithaca. Leila Damm went to third base on Olivia Jones’ double to deep left field. Kamryn Blackmer doubled to the right field fence to drive in Leila Damm and Olivia Jones. Morgan Matusik doubled down the right field line to drive in Kamryn Blackmer.
Lauryn Humphrey came in to pitch for the Yellowjackets. Kennedi Ryan went to shortstop and Ivy Davenport switched to first base. Faith Fisher went to right field and Madison Carmen moved to third base.
Morgan Matusik advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Kendall Payne beat out an infield single and drove Morgan Matusik home. Kendall Payne was out at second base and Lillia Sherman safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Alexis Hudie went in as a courtesy runner for Lillia Sherman. Alexis Hudie advanced to second base on a wild pitch and too third base when Lilly Damm was safe at first on an error.
Karlie Sherman walked to load the bases. Lauryn Humphrey struck out the next Millington hitter. Leila Damm singled to right field to drive in Alexis Hudie and Lilly Damm. Karlie Sherman went to third base. Millington made its final out of the fourth inning on a grounder to first base.
Millington scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning to boost its lead to 17-3.
Lillia Sherman retired the first two Yellowjacket hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a strikeout and a grounder to shortstop. Ivy Davenport blooped a double to left field. Lillia Sherman struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Kamryn Blackmer walked to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Millington. Lauren Humphrey retired the next three Millington hitters on a popup to the pitcher, a foul popup to first base and a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Alexis Hudie went in to play right field for Millington.
Megan Mankey singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Ithaca. She advanced to second base on Emmalee Shankel’s one hop groundout to second base and to third on Madison Carman’s groundout to the shortstop. Lillia Sherman retired the next batter on a grounder to shortstop.
The game was ended because of the mercy rule and Millington won 17-3.
Ivy Davenport had a single, a double and two RBI for Ithaca. Megan Mankey had two singles and one RBI. Faith Fisher had two singles. Hayden Whitmore and Madison Carman each had one single.
Morgan Matusik had a double, two singles and one RBI for Ithaca. Lilly Damm had a double, a single and four RBI. Lillia Sherman, Leila Damm and Kamryn Blackmer each had a double, a single and two RBI. Kendall Payne had a double, a single and one RBI. Leila Damm had two singles and one RBI. Karlie Sherman had a double and one RBI.
After Morgan Matusik pitched one inning, Lillia Sherman pitched the final four innings and gave up two runs.