Birch Run at Frankenmuth – – Softball – – First Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 11, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, the weather outside is not frightful for a change and your Bleacher Denizen is off to Frankenmuth where the Eagles will host the Panthers from Birch Run in a softball doubleheader. Because of a lot of chilly temperatures and a fair amount of rain, your Bleacher Denizen has only made it to one baseball or softball date so far this year.
Your Bleacher Denizen got to the game in plenty of time to get lineups and get ready for the game. While we wait for the game to start, I hope you will enjoy this version of “Seeman” a German language radio hit from 1960 sung by Nikki Zeeb from my You Tube Channel!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMKyjkZVmW0
And for those of you who do not speak or understand German, here is a rocking rendition of “Can’t You See That She’s Mine” by the Dave Clark Five.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEc_2hjvblA
Frankenmuth Coach Todd Sprowl and Birch Run Coach Tracy Periard were both really helpful as they provided me with the starting lineups. Frankenmuth is the home team and will bat last. Here are the lineups!
BIRCH RUN
Taylor Belanger c
Ally Richmond ss
Maddi DeRosia cf
Avery Pagel p
Cassandra Solinski 3b
Gabby DiBerardino 2b
Myla Lasley lf
Kiley Smith 1b
Jasmine Sayan rf
FRANKENMUTH
Bri Barker cf
Siena Bosco 2b
Chloe Compau p
Emma Sprowl c
Miranda Polley ss
Izzy Bernthal 3b
Becca Adkins 1b
Ainsley Roberts lf
Claire Edwards rf
It is now time to look at the events of this game through the somewhat clear eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen whose baseball career never really got started. Your Bleacher Denizen was showing some promise as an outfielder who could leap up and catch home run balls. Alas, when the Baseball Powers That Be ruled that he could no longer use his pogo stick to help his leap, he did not have enough other skills to keep his baseball career going.
Taylor Belanger singled to open the game for Birch Run. Chloe Campau struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
Bri Barker led off the bottom of the first inning for Frankenmuth with a walk and took second base on a sacrifice bunt by Siena Bosco. Chloe Compau singled to drive Bri Barker home with the game’s first run and took second base on the throw to the plate. Aliyah Sprowl entered the game as a courtesy runner for Chloe Compau. Emma Sprowl doubled down the left field line to drive Aliyah Sprowl home.
Mady Goodwin entered the game as a courtesy runner for Emma Sprowl. Miranda Polley blasted a two run homer to left field and Mady Goodwin also scored. Avery Pagel struck out the next two Eagle batters to end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored four runs in the top of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead.
Chloe Compau retired the three second inning hitters for Birch Run on a fly to right field and two strikeouts.
Ainsley Roberts was safe at first on an error to lead off the top of the second inning for Frankenmuth. Avery Pagel retired the next two Frankenmuth hitters on a fly to left field and a strikeout. Siena Bosco doubled to drive Ainsley Roberts home. Siena Bosco scored when Chloe Compau was safe at first base on an error.
Aliyah Sprowl came in as a courtesy runner for Chloe Compau. Emma Sprowl belted a double to deep left field to drive Aliyah Sprowl home. Mady Goodwin entered the game as a courtesy runner for Emma Sprowl. Miranda Polley was hit by a pitch. Avery Pagel struck out the next Eagle hitter to end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to extend its lead to 7-0.
Chloe Compau struck out Birch Run’s leadoff batter in the top of the third inning and retired the next hitter on a grounder to second base. Taylor Belanger was safe at first when she hustled to first base after her third strike was not caught. Chloe Compau struck out the next Panther batter to end the inning.
Avery Pagel retired the three Frankenmuth third inning hitters on a bouncer to third base, a roller to the pitcher’s circle and a strikeout.
Chloe Compau retired the first two Panther hitters in the top of the fourth inning on a fly to the shortstop and a strikeout. Casandra Solinski beat out an infield single. Chloe Compau struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Avery Pagel retired the first two Frankenmuth batters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to second base and a grounder to second base. Chloe Compau lined a single to right field. Aliyah Sprowl entered the game as a courtesy runner for Chloe Compau. Avery Pagel retired the next hitter on a fly to center field to end the inning.
After four full innings, Frankenmuth still had a 7-0 lead.
Chloe Compau retired the three Panther batters in the top of the fifth innings on two strikeouts and a grounder to the pitcher.
Miranda Polley beat out an infield single to open the bottom of the fifth inning for the Eagles. Izzy Bernthal singled to left field and Miranda Polley went to second base. Becca Adkins was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder where no one was retired. The bases were now loaded with Miranda Polley on third, Izzy Bernthal on second and Becca Adkins on first base; there was still no one out.
Ainsley Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Miranda Polley scored. Birch Run Centerfielder Maddi DeRosia got the ball back to the infield quickly and Birch Run threw out a runner trying to advance to second base to make it a double play. Avery Pagel struck out the next Eagle hitter to end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to boost its lead to 8-0.
Chloe Compau retired the three Birch Run hitters in the sixth inning on a liner to second base and two strikeouts.
Bri Barker walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for the Eagles. Siena Bosco was safe at first base and Bri Barker out at second base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Avery Pagel retired the next hitter on a fly to center field. Emma Sprowl walked and Siena Bosco went to second base. Mady Goodwin came in as a courtesy runner for Emma Sprowl.
Miranda Polley walked to load the bases. Izzy Bernthal singled to left field to drive Siena Bosco and Mady Goodwin home with the two runs needed for Frankenmuth to take a ten run lead. As Frankenmuth had a ten run lead, the mercy rule was invoked and Frankenmuth won the first game of this doubleheader by a 10-0 score.
Taylor Belanger and Casandra Solinski each had a single for Birch Run.
Avery Pagel pitched a complete six inning game for Birch Run and struck out six Frankenmuth batters.
Miranda Polley had a home run, a single and two RBI for Frankenmuth. Emma Sprowl had two doubles and two RBI for Frankenmuth. Izzy Bernthal had two singles and two RBI. Chloe Compau had two singles and one RBI. Siena Bosco had a double and one RBI. Ainsley Roberts had one RBI.
I also covered the second game of this doubleheader. Here is the link to that game.