DeWitt at Fowler – – Second Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 10, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, the Fowler Eagles are hosting the DeWitt Panthers in a softball doubleheader. Here is the play by play of the first game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/05/11/dewitt-at-fowler-first-game-of-softball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-10-2024-by-chuck-krafft/
DeWitt is in the CAAC conference while Fowler is in the CMAC. They tell me that they do not do this just to confuse your innocent Bleacher Denizen, but in the CMAC, the visiting team is the home team for the second game of doubleheaders and in the CAAC, the home team is the home team for the second game of doubleheaders. Your Bleacher Denizen is in a bit of a quandary trying to figure out whose convention will prevail!!
He learns that they will do it the CMAC way where the visiting team is the home team and will bat last while the home team is the visiting team and will bat first. After a couple very confusing minutes, your aging Bleacher Denizen learns that Fowler will bat first. The mind boggles – – –
Anyway, here are the starting lineups! Unless something happens to further confuse your graying Bleacher Denizen, here they are!!
FOWLER
Paisley Hansen 1b
Makenna Smith ss
Addison Spicer 3b
Anna Andros lf
Selena Stump p
Molly Schlak rf
Jadyn Feldpausch c
Peyton Rademacher 2b
DEWITT
Natalie Anderson ss
Jamie Cook cf
Madeline Torrence 3b
Lily Utrup p
Maddie Bekkering dp
Kennedy Goerge 1b
Molly Brya 2b
Emily Agnew c
Ruby Puck lf
Claire Mogle will play right field, but will not bat.
DeWitt Pitcher Lily Utrup retired the three Fowler hitters in the top of the first inning on a fly to second base, a bunt to the pitcher and a fly to right field.
Fowler Pitcher Selena Stump retired the three DeWitt hitters in the top of the first inning on a bouncer to third base, a grounder to the shortstop and a fly to right field.
Anna Andros walked to lead off the top of the second inning for Fowler. She went to second base when Selena Stump singled to right field. Lily Utrup struck out the next Eagle batter. Jadyn Feldpausch singled to left field as Anna Andros took third base and Selena Stump second base. An excellent throw from Ruby Puck in left field kept a run from scoring.
Anna Andros scored, Selena Stump went to third base and Jadyn Feldpausch to second base on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Chloe Feldpausch. Lily Utrup struck out the next Fowler batter to end the inning.
Fowler scored one run in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Lily Utrup singled off the second baseman’s glove to lead off the bottom of the second inning for DeWitt. Lily Utrup advanced to second base when Maddie Bekkering was safe at first base on an error. Selena Stump struck out the next Panther hitter. Lily Utrup moved to third base and Maddie Bekkering to second when Molly Brya was safe at first base on an error.
Emily Agnew singled up the middle to drive Lily Utrup and Maddie Bekkering home. Molly Brya advanced to second base. Ruby Puck singled to right field to drive Molly Brya home as Emily Agnew went to third base. DeWitt made its second out on a grounder to the pitcher. When the runner tried to score from third base on the play, Fowler First Baseman Paisley Hansen made a stellar throw to cut her down at the plate to end the inning.
DeWitt scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Paisley Hansen was hit by a pitch to open the top of the third inning for Fowler. DeWitt Pitcher Lily Utrup struck out the next batter; Paisley Hansen stole second base on strike three. Lily Utrup retired the next two Eagle hitters on a grounder to the pitcher and a fly to left field to end the inning.
Selena Stump retired the first two DeWitt batters in the bottom of the third inning on a popup to first base, and a grounder to second base. Lily Utrup doubled to deep right field. DeWitt’s next batter was out on a bouncer to the pitcher to end the inning.
Selena Stump singled up the middle to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Fowler; she then stole second base. Lily Utrup struck out the next two Eagle batters and got the final out on a grounder to the pitcher.
Selena Stump struck out DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning. Molly Brya put a bit of excitement in the Bleacher Denizen’s life as her foul ball landed just a few feet away from me. (I did not see it until it had landed.) Molly Brya ignored the Bleacher Denizen’s feelings of insecurity and singled to right field. Molly Brya was out at second base and Emily Agnew safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop. Kaydence Ballinger-Szostak entered as a courtesy runner for Emily Agnew. DeWitt’s next hitter was out on a fly to right field to end the inning.
With four full innings in the books, DeWitt’s lead remained a 3-1.
Lily Utrup struck out the first two Eagle batters in the top of the fifth inning. Pinch Hitter Rachel Wirth beat out an infield single; she then stole second base. Lily Utrup struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Natalie Anderson beat out an infield single and stole second base to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for DeWitt. Selena Stump struck out the next Panther batter. Natalie Anderson took second base on a groundout to shortstop by Madeline Torrence. Molly Schlak made a fine running catch in right field to give DeWitt its third out.
Lily Utrup struck out Fowler’s leadoff batter in the top of the sixth inning. Selena Stump walked and stole second base. After the next Eagle batter struck out, Selena Stump took third base on a passed ball. Fowler made its final out of the inning on a fly to the shortstop.
Rachel Wirth went in to play first base for Fowler. Katelyn Lackscheide went in at second base. Peyton Rademacher moved to shortstop and Natalie Smith went out to play left field.
Maddie Bekkering doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for DeWitt. She went to third base when Kiley Zatkin was safe at first base on an error. Molly Brya drilled a single to right field to drive Maddie Bekkering home as Kiley Zatkin advanced to second base.
Kiley Zatkin was out at third base when Emily Agnew was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Molly Brya advanced to second base on the play. Kaydence Ballinger-Szostak came in as a courtesy runner for Emily Agnew. Molly Brya took third base and Kaydence Ballinger-Szostak second base on a passed ball. Ruby Puck singled to drive Molly Brya home as Kaydence Ballinger-Szostak moved to third base.
Natalie Donaldson singled to right field to drive in Kaydence Ballinger-Szostak as Ruby Puck advanced to third base. Natalie Donaldson advanced to second base on a throw. Ruby Puck was out at home when Jamie Cook was safe on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher. Natalie Donaldson advanced to third base. Madeline Torrence doubled to deep left field to drive Natalie Donaldson in. DeWitt made its final out of the inning on a grounder to the pitcher.
DeWitt scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend its lead to 8-1.
Lily Utrup retired Fowler’s first two hitters in the top of the seventh inning on a grounder to third base and a strikeout. Karstyn Lackscheide singled. Rachel Wirth drove Karstyn Lackscheide with a double to left field and went to third base on the throw to home plate. Lily Utrup retired the next Eagle batter on a grounder to the pitcher to end the game.
DeWitt won the second game of this doubleheader by an 8-2 score.
Rachel Wirth had a single, a double and one RBI for Fowler. Selena Stump had two singles. Chloe Feldpausch had a single and one RBI. Karstyn Lackscheide and Jadyn Feldpausch each had a single.
Selena Stump pitched the entire game for Fowler.
Lily Utrup had a single and a double for DeWitt. Ruby Puck had two singles and two RBI. Madeline Torrence had two singles and two RBI. Molly Brya and Natalie Anderson each had two singles and one RBI. Maddie Bekkering had a double. Emily Agnew had a single and two RBI.
Lily Utrup pitched a complete game for DeWitt; she gave up two runs and seven hits while striking out nine Eagle batters.