Fowler vs. Mendon – – MHSAA Softball Quarterfinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 13, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

We are in the final week of the 2023 Michigan High School Athletic Association Softball Tournament. Today, Fowler’s Eagles will compete with the Hornets from Mendon to see who will get to play in Tuesday’s semifinal at Michigan State’s field!!

While we wait for this game to begin, I hope you will enjoy this classic western tune played in the honky-tonk style from my You Tube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAyGsC_FuNo

It’s a chilly, drizzly day, so there may be some pitching and fielding difficulties because of the wet softballs.

Here are the starting lineups!

MENDON HORNETS:

Jadyn Samson ss

Lauren Schabes p

Kaidee Gonser c

Taya Bingaman cf

Carlie Doehring 3b

Rowan Allen lf

Ally Butler 2b

Brielle Bailey dp

Abby Butler rf

Cienna Nightingale will play first base, but will not bat.

FOWLER EAGLES:

Avery Koenigsknecht c

Grace Piggott rf

Saige Miller ss

Paisley Hansen 1b

Bri Halfmann p

Carly Andros 3b

Anna Andros lf

Emma Smith dp

Makenna Smith 2b

Chloe Feldpausch will play center field, but will not bat.

It is now time to watch this game from the somewhat steely eyes of a graying Bleacher Denizen who was never able to establish a successful baseball or softball career. It was just too late when your Bleacher Denizen finally realized that the rewards in these sports come from actually hitting baseballs or softballs. While he thought he was doing a kindness, apparently there is no reward for generating breezes when you swing and miss.

Fowler Pitcher Bri Halfmann retired the Mendon leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a bouncer to the pitcher. Lauren Schabes walked and Gracie Schultz entered the game as a courtesy runner. Gracie Schulz went to second base when Kaidee Gonser walked. Gracie Schultz scored when Taya Bingaman was safe at first base on an error. Fowler Left Fielder Anna Andros got the ball back to the infield quickly to trap the runner from first between second and third base where she was tagged out.

Carlie Doehring walked and Taya Bingaman took second base. Rowan Allen singled to drive in Taya Bingaman as Carlie Doehring went to second base. Carlie Doehring went to third base and Rowan Allen to second base on an overthrow. Bri Halfmann struck out the next Hornet hitter to end the inning.

Mendon scored two runs in the top half of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Avery Koenigsknecht beat out a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Fowler and stole second base. Mendon Pitcher Lauren Schabes struck out the next Fowler batter and got the second out on a fly to left field.

Paisley Hansen doubled to left field to drive in Avery Koenigsknecht. Bri Halfmann blasted a two run home run over the center field fence; she and Paisley Hansen both scored. Carly Andros lined a single to left field and went to second base when Anna Andros was hit by a pitch. Emma Smith singled up the middle to drive in Carly Andros as Anna Andros advanced to second base. Fowler made its third out when the umpire ruled that the batter was out of the batter’s box when she hit the ball.

Fowler scored four runs in the bottom half of the first inning to go on top by a 4-2 score.

Bri Halfmann struck out the Hornet leadoff hitter in the top of the second inning. Abby Butler singled off the Pitcher’s glove. Avery Koenigsknecht threw the runner out stealing. Jadyn Samson walked and went to second base when Lauren Schabes walked. Mendon made the third out of the inning on a grounder to second base.

Menton Pitcher Lauren Schabes retired all three Fowler hitters in the bottom of the second inning on a fly to center field, a fly to the shortstop and a fly to right field.

After two full innings, Fowler had a 4-2 lead.

Taya Bingaman doubled down the left field line to lead off the top of the third inning for Mendon. Carlie Doehring drew a walk. Taya Bingaman went to third base and Carlie Doehring to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rowan Allen. Ally Butler blasted a sacrifice fly to the center field warning track to drive in Taya Bingaman. Brielle Bailey doubled off the left-center field fence to drive in Carlie Doehring.

Carly Andros came in to pitch for Fowler and Addison Spicer entered the game to play to third base.

Abby Butler singled to center field to drive in Brielle Bailey. Jadyn Samson singled to center field to advance Abby Butler to third base; she took second on a throw to third base. Lauren Schabes walked to load the bases. Carly Andros struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Mendon scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 5-4 lead.

Paisley Hansen walked to lead off the top of the third inning for Fowler. Bri Halfmann pounded another home run over the center field fence to drive in Paisley Hansen and herself. Lauren Schabes struck out the next two Fowler hitters. Addison Spicer walked and took second base on a single to right field by Makenna Smith. Addison Spicer went to third base and Makenna Smith to second on a wild pitch. Lauren Schabes struck out the next Eagle batter to end the inning.

Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to go up by a 6-5 score.

Fowler second baseman Makenna Smith alertly covered first on a grounder to the first baseman to second Mendon’s first out of the top of the fourth inning. Carly Andros struck out the next Hornet hitter. Rowan Allen and Ally Butler walked. Brielle Bailey doubled to deep left field to drive in Rowan Allen and Ally Butler. Abby Butler walked. Jadyn Samson singled up the middle to drive in Brielle Bailey. Fowler Center Fielder Chloe Feldpausch got the ball back to the infield quickly and the runner was out trying to advance to third base.

Mendon scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to retake the lead at 8-6.

Grace Piggott singled off the third baseman’s glove to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning for Fowler. Hornet Pitcher Lauren Schabes retired the next hitter on a fine running catch of a bloop to right field by Abby Butler. Kaidee Gonser threw the Fowler runner out when she tried to steal second base. Lauren Schabes got the next Fowler batter to hit a fly to second base for the third out.

Lauren Schabes singled to left field to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Mendon. Fowler Shortstop Saige Miller made an excellent hustle play in short left field and a fantastic throw to catch the runner trying to get all the way to second base. Fowler First Baseman Paisley Hansen made a fine running catch of a foul popup to record the second out. Carly Andros retired the next Hornet hitter on a fly to second base to end the inning.

Lauren Schabes struck out the Fowler leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth inning. Carly Andros was hit by a pitch. Selena Stump came in as a courtesy runner for Carly Andros. Anna Andros was hit by a pitch to push Selena Stump to second base. Selena Stump went to third base and Anna Andros to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Addison Spicer.

Makenna Smith doubled up the middle to drive in Selena Stump and Addison Spicer. Avery Koenigsknecht hit a triple to drive in Makenna Smith. Fowler made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

Fowler scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to retake the lead at 9-8.

Carlie Doehring singled to center field to lead off the top of the sixth inning for Mendon and went to second base when Rowan Allen walked. Carly Andros retired the next three Mendon batters on a foul popup to first base, a strikeout and a grounder to second base to end the inning.

Saige Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for Fowler. Paisley Hansen singled to center field and Saige Miller went to second base. Bri Halfmann creamed her third home run of the day to drive in Saige Miller, Paisley Hansen and herself.

Carly Andros walked and Selena Stump came in as a courtesy runner. Lauren Schabes struck out the next batter and got the next out on a foul popup to the catcher. Makenna Smith walked and Selena Stump advanced to second base. Fowler made its third out of the inning on a fly to second base.

Fowler scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend its lead to 12-8.

Carly Andros retired the Hornet leadoff batter in the top of the seventh inning on a bouncer to the pitcher. Lauren Schabes singled to center field. Kaidee Gonser walked to push Lauren Schabes to second base. Taya Bingaman was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Carlie Doehring was safe at first base and Lauren Schabes out at home on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Kaidee Gonser advanced to third blase and Taya Bingaman took second base on the play. Rowan Allen walked to force Kaidee Gonser home. Ally Butler walked to force Taya Bingaman home to trim the Fowler lead to two runs.

Brielle Bailey doubled to left field to drive in Carlie Doehring, Rowan Allen and Ally Butler to give Mendon a one run lead.

Bri Halfmann came back to the pitcher’s circle for Fowler.

Abby Butler walked. Mendon made its third out of the inning on a bouncer to the pitcher.

Mendon scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 13-12 lead.

Rowan Allen came in to pitch for Mendon and Lauren Schabes moved out to left field.

Rowan Allen retired the first two Eagle batters in the bottom of the seventh inning on a strikeout and a groundout to third base. Paisley Hansen walked to bring Bri Halfmann to the plate with a chance to win the game for Fowler if she hit her fourth home run of the day. Mendon decided to intentionally walk Bri Halfmann and Paisley Hansen went to second base. Carly Andros walked to load the bases. Rowan Allen struck out the next Eagle batter to end the game.

Mendon won the game by a 13-12 score and will play Johannesburg-Lewiston in the semifinal game on Friday.

Bri Halfmann had an amazing game for Fowler as she smacked three home runs to go along with seven RBI. Avery Koenigsknecht had a triple, a single and one RBI. Makenna Smith had a double, a single and two RBI. Paisley Hansen had a double, a single and one RBI. Emma Smith had a single and one RBI. Carly Andros had a single.

Brielle Bailey had a great game for Mendon with three doubles and six RBI. Jadyn Samson and Abby Butler each had two singles and an RBI. Lauren Schabes had two singles. Rowan Allen had a single and two RBI. Taya Bingaman had a double. Carlie Doehring had a single. Ally Butler had two RBI.

Lauren Schabes pitched six innings and struck out six batters. Rowan Allen pitched a shutout final inning and struck out two batters.