Saranac at Fulton – – First Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 16, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, your Bleacher Denizen is heading to Fulton, where the hometown Pirates will host the Red Hawks from Saranac in a softball doubleheader.

Your Bleacher Denizen, for all his meticulous planning managed to not bring a chair to the game, so the Saranac and Fulton coaches agreed to let me take my notes in their dugouts.

For the first game, Saranac will be the visiting team and bat first.

Here are the starting lineups.

SARANAC

Laurel Lee lf

Irelynn Pachulski rf

Madie Murillo c

Delaney Reagan p

Kayla Sterzick 2b

Abigail Janson 3b

Amelia Doll dp

Abby Ferguson ss

Natalie Tucker cf

Becca Hopkins will play third base, but will not bat.

FULTON

Camryn Cunningham c

Rylee Patterson rf

Jaci Canfield ss

Kaya Canfield p

Alayna Smolinski 1b

Kinder Hutchins 3b

Monika Alu cf

Jillian Gutting 2b

Aubrey Smolinski lf

It is now time to review the events of this game through the somewhat observant eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen, whose baseball career was ruined when the powers that be decided that he would not be allowed to use a shoulder cannon in the outfield to send his throws home. Too many runners scored on short flies to the outfield and his coach asked the Bleacher Denizen to try another sport.

Laurel Lee led off the top of the first inning for Saranac and was safe at first on an error; she then stole second base. Irelynn Pachulski drew a walk. Madie Murillo was safe at first on a fielder’s choice, but the runner was forced at second base. Laurel Lee came around to score on an overthrow.

Delaney Reagan doubled to drive Madie Murillo home. When the ball was mishandled in the outfield, Delaney Reagan also scored.

Kayla Sterzick drew a walk. Abigail Janson was safe at first and Kayla Sterzick made it to third base on a fielder’s choice grounder (no one was out.) Kayla Sterzick scored and Abigail Janson went to third base on an RBI groundout by Amelia Doll. Abby Ferguson singled to drive in Abigail Janson. Kaya Canfield retired the next Red Hawk batter on a grounder to shortstop to end the inning.

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

Saranac Pitcher Delaney Reagan retired the three Pirate first inning hitters on a grounder to the pitcher, a strikeout and a popup to second base.

Kaya Canfield retired Saranac’s leadoff batter in the top of the second inning on a grounder to the pitcher’s circle. Irelynn Pachulski drew a walk and stole second base. Irelynn Pachulski took third base on Madie Murillo’s groundout to shortstop. Delaney Reagan doubled to center field to drive Irelynn Pachulski home. Saranac made its third out of the inning on a grounder to third base.

Saranac scored one run in the top of the second inning to push its lead to 6-0.

Kaya Canfield was safe on an error to lead off the top of the second inning for Fulton. Delaney Reagan retired the next Pirate hitter on a fly to the pitcher. Kaya Canfield stole second base and third base.

Kinder Hutchins lined a foul ball into Saranac’s dugout. While this particular play had little effect on the game, your Bleacher Denizen, who was sitting in Saranac’s dugout, got a chance to show off his fielding chops. The ball was hit pretty hard and luckily hit your Bleacher Denizen in his thunder thigh and slowed just enough where your Bleacher Denizen was able to catch the ball cleanly with just one hand. (One can never drop the notebook where his game notes are being taken, you know!!) Who knew that taking notes at a softball game could be dangerous?

Kinder Hutchins followed that solid (if foul) by driving in Kaya Canfield with a squibbed groundout to the catcher. Delaney Reagan struck out the next Pirate batter to end the inning.

Fulton scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to trim the Saranac lead to 6-1.

Kaya Canfield retired the first two Saranac batters in the top of the third inning on a squib to the catcher and a grounder to the pitcher. Abby Ferguson singled to left field and took second base on an error. Natalie Tucker punched an RBI single up the middle to drive Abby Ferguson home. Kaya Canfield retired the next batter on a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.

Delaney Reagan struck out Fulton’s leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third inning. Aubrey Smolinski lined a single to right field. Camryn Cunningham was safe at first and Aubrey Smolinski out at second on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Delaney Reagan struck out the next Pirate hitter to complete the inning.

Irelynn Pachulski walked to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Saranac and stole second base. Madie Murillo drew a walk. Delaney Reagan grounded a single up the middle to drive Irelynn Pachulski and Madie Murillo home. Delaney Reagan stole second base and went to third base on a single to center field by Kayla Sterzick.

Abigail Johnson doubled to center field to drive in Delaney Reagan and Kayla Sterzick. The next hitter was out on a grounder to the shortstop. Abigail Johnson scored from second base when there was an overthrow. Kaya Canfield retired the next batter on a groundout to third base. Natalie Tucker beat out an infield single and went to second base when Laurel Lee walked. Kaya Canfield got Saranac’s third out on a groundout to the shortstop.

Saranac scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to boost its lead to 12-1.

Saranac brough in Lyla Stoutjesdyk to play left field, Brianna Pung to play second base and Leah Wernet to play third base.

Jaci Canfield led off the bottom of the fourth inning for the Pirates and was safe on a dropped popup. Kaya Canfield doubled down the left field line to drive Jaci Canfield home. Delaney Reagan retired the next two Pirate batters on a popup to the pitcher and a strikeout as Jaci Canfield stole third base. As Mia Leskela drew a walk, Kaya Canfield scored on a wild pitch. Delaney Reagan struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Fulton scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to shave the Saranac lead to 12-3.

Kaya Canfield struck out Saranac’s leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. Delaney Reagan grounded a single to left field. Serenity Max entered the game to run for Delaney Reagan. Brianna Pung walked and Serenity Max advanced to second base. Serenity Max went to third base and Brianna Pung to second when Abigail Janson was safe on an error. Abigail Janson went to second base, Brianna Pung to third and Serenity Max scored on Amelia Doll’s RBI groundout to the shortstop. Saranac made its final out of the inning on a liner to the shortstop.

Saranac scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 13-3.

Delaney Reagan struck out Fulton’s leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning. Camryn Cunningham drew a walk. Fulton’s next batter was out on a fly to the pitcher. Jaci Canfield beat out an infield single and Camryn Cunningham advanced to second base. Camryn Cunningham went to third base and Jaci Canfield to second base on a wild pitch. Delaney Reagan struck out the next Pirate batter to end the inning.

Because of the mercy rule, the game was stopped her and Saranac won 13-3.

Kaya Canfield had a double and one RBI for Fulton. Aubrey Smolinski and Jaci Canfield each had one single.

Delaney Reagan starred both in the pitcher’s circle and at the bat for Saranac. She pitched the complete game and struck out eight Pirate hitters. On offense, she had two doubles, two singles and four RBI.

Abigail Janson had a double and two RBI. Abby Ferguson and Natalie Tucker each had two singles and one RBI. Kayla Sterzick added a single and Amelia Doll had two RBI.

Here is the play by play of the second game of the doubleheader. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/04/17/saranac-at-fulton-second-game-of-softball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-16-2024-by-chuck-krafft/