DeWitt at Fowler – – First Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 10, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft
Tonight, the Bleacher Denizen is at Fowler where the Eagles will host the DeWitt Panthers in a softball doubleheader.
Rain has kept the Bleacher Denizen away from the baseball and softball fields this week, except for Monday, where in a bit of irony, the last game I have covered are these two DeWitt baseball games!
As luck would have it, just before that, I covered two Fowler baseball games at Lansing Christian. I guess we’ll give both the baseball teams a shoutout before we get back into softball.
Of course, we now need to focus on today’s softball games.
Here are the starting lineups. DeWitt is the visiting team and will bat first.
DEWITT
Natalie Donaldson ss
Jamie Cook cf
Madeline Torrence 3b
Jeannette Grimes lf
Kennedy Goerge 1b
Reagan Marble dp
Molly Brya 2b
Emily Agnew c
Ruby Puck p
Claire Mogle will play right field, but will not bat.
FOWLER
Saige Miller ss
Makenna Smith 2b
Paisley Hansen 1b
Addison Spicer 3b
Anna Andros lf
Bri Halfmann p
Selena Stump dp
Neelah O’Rourke rf
Kerigan Pung c
Chloe Feldpausch will play center field, but will not bat.
It is now time to review the events of this game through the occasionally clear lenses of a graying Bleacher Denizen whose baseball career never got off the ground after the powers that be decreed that I was not permitted to use a catapult to make my throws from the outfield.
Fowler Pitcher Bri Halfmann struck out DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the top of the first inning. Jamie Cook beat out an infield single and advanced to third base on Madeline Torrence’s double the right-center field fence. The runners held at second and third base as Jeannette Grimes beat out a squib to the catcher.
DeWitt’s next hitter bounced the ball to Bri Halfmann, who threw the ball home to force out one runner; Kerrigan Pung completed a double play by firing the ball to first base; this held DeWitt scoreless for the first inning.
Jamie Cook made a nice running catch to retire Fowler’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning. Makenna Smith walked and stole second base. Fowler’s next hitter was out on a fly to center field. Natalie Donaldson made a great dive to try to catch a liner off the bat of Addison Spicer, but it glanced off her glove for a single that drove in Makenna Smith from second base.
Anna Andros singled to right field and Addison Spicer advanced to second base. Bri Halfmann walked to load the bases. Addison Spicer scored when Selena Stump was safe at first on an error. Anna Andros advanced to third base and Bri Halfmann to second. DeWitt Pitcher Ruby Puck struck out the next Eagle batter to end the inning.
Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Reagan Marble singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning for DeWitt. Lily Utrup entered the came as a pinch runner for Reagan Marble. Lily Marble went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Molly Brya. Lily Utrup went to third base when Emily Agnew was safe at second base on an error. Lily Utrup scored on Ruby Puck’s sacrifice fly to right field. Bri Halfmann retired the next Panther hitter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
DeWitt scored one run in the top of the second inning to trim the Fowler lead to 2-1.
Kerigan Pung beat out an infield single to open the bottom of the second inning for Fowler. Saige Miller singled up the middle and Kerigan Pung took second base. Kerigan Pung scored and Saige Miller went to third base when Makenna Smith was safe at second base on an error. Paisley Hansen singled up the middle to drive in Saige Miller and Makenna Smith.
Paisley Hansen was out at second base and Addison Spicer safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop. Addison Spicer was out at second base and Anna Andros safe at first on another fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Ruby Puck struck out the next Eagle hitter to end the inning.
Fowler scored three runs in the top of the second inning to boost its lead to 5-1.
Jamie Cook singled to center field to lead off the top of the third inning for DeWitt. Bri Halfmann retired the next two Panther batters on a popup to the pitcher and a line drive to first base. Jamie Clark went to second base when Kennedy Goerge was safe at first base on an error. Jamie Clark went to third base and Kennedy Goerge to second on a wild pitch.
Lily Utrup walked to load the bases. Molly Brya bashed a double to left field to drive in Jamie Cook, Kennedy Goerge and Lily Utrup. DeWitt made its third out of the inning on a squib to the catcher.
DeWitt scored three runs in the top of the third inning to cut the Fowler lead to 5-4.
Ruby Puck retired the first two Fowler hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a grounder to shortstop and a grounder to second base. Kerigan Pung singled to right field. Ruby Puck struck out the next Eagle batter to end the inning.
Selena Stump moved to second base for Fowler and Makenna Smith went over to shortstop.
Fowler Right Fielder Neelah O’Rourke made a great diving effort, but Ruby Puck’s drive fell for a single. Natalie Donaldson beat out an infield single. When an error was made on the play, Ruby Puck ended up at third base and Natalie Donaldson at second base. Ruby Puck scored on Jamie Cook’s sacrifice fly to right field and Natalie Donaldson went to third base.
Madeline Torrence lined a single to center field to drive Natalie Donaldson home. Madeline Torrence advanced to second base on a groundout to second base by Jeannette Grimes and took third base on a wild pitch. Bri Halfmann retired the next Panther batter on a grounder to first base to end the inning.
DeWitt scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ruby Puck retired the three Fowler hitters on a fly to the shortstop, a fly to center field where Jamie Cook made a fine running catch and a grounder to the shortstop.
Anna Andros went in to pitch for Fowler. Molly Schlak went in to play left field.
Fowler Center Fielder Chloe Feldpausch made a fine catch in center field to retire the DeWitt leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. Molly Brya drew a walk and took second base on a wild pitch. Maddie Bekkering and then Ruby Puck walked to load the bases.
Bri Halfmann reentered the game to pitch for Fowler.
Natalie Donaldson singled to right field to drive in Molly Brya. When the runner tried to score from second base, she was cut down at the plate by a fine throw from Fowler right fielder Neelah O’Rourke. Ruby Puck advanced to third base on the throw home. Ruby Puck and Natalie Donaldson both scored when Jamie Cook was safe at first base on an error.
Jamie Cook went to third base when Madeline Torrence singled to right field; Jamie Sook scored and Madeline Torrence took second base when an error was made on the play. Jeannette Grimes singled to right field to drive Madeline Torrence home. Fowler Catcher Kerigan Pung rifled a throw to second base to catch the runner stealing and to record DeWitt’s third out of the inning.
DeWitt scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to push its lead to 11-5.
Anna Andros doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Fowler. Panther Shortstop Natalie Donaldson made an excellent play to catch a line drive off the bat of Bri Halfmann while facing away from home plate. Selena Stump doubled to right field to drive Anna Andros home. Selena Stump advanced to third base when pinch hitter Natalie Smith grounded a single to left field.
Neelah O’Rourke reentered the game and stole second base. DeWitt second baseman Molly Brya went back and made an excellent catch on a fly by Kerigan Pung. Selena Stump tagged up and scored on the play as Neelah O’Rourke moved to third base. Fowler made its final out of the inning on a fly to the shortstop.
Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the DeWitt lead to 11-7.
Bri Halfmann retired the three DeWitt hitters in the sixth inning on a fly to second base, a grounder to second base and a grounder to shortstop.
Ruby Puck retired the three Fowler sixth inning hitters on a fly to right field, a fly to deep left field by Paisley Hansen and another fly to left field.
Bri Halfmann got the first two DeWitt batters in the top of the seventh inning out on grounders to the pitcher. Natalie Donaldson lined a single to right field and stole second base. Jamie Cook was out on a foul popup to the catcher.
Anna Andros lined a single to left field to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning for Fowler. Ruby Cook retired the next two Eagle batters on fielder’s choice grounders to the shortstop. DeWitt Second Baseman Molly Brya made a nice running catch on fly to short right field to end the game.
DeWitt won the opener of this doubleheader by the score of 11-7.
Anna Andros had a double and two singles for Fowler. Kerigan Pung had two singles and one RBI. Paisley Hansen had a single and two RBI. Selena Stump had a double and one RBI. Addison Spicer had a single and one RBI. Saige Miller and Natalie Smith each had a single.
Madeline Torrence had a double, two singles and one RBI for DeWitt. Natalie Donaldson had three singles and one RBI. Jamie Cook had two singles and one RBI. Molly Brya had a double and three RBI for DeWitt. Ruby Puck and Jeannette each had a single and one RBI. Reagan Marble had one single.
Ruby Puck pitched the entire game for DeWitt.