Birch Run at Frankenmuth – – Softball – – Second Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 11, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
Michigan weather is actually cooperating with the softball schedule today, so I was able to drive to Frankenmuth to watch as the Eagles hosted the Birch Run Panthers in a softball doubleheader. Here is the play by play of the first game!
While we get ready for the second game, I hope you will enjoy this boogie woogie tune from my You Tube Channel!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1MxOus8t44
The coaches got me the starting lineups and we were ready for the game! Here are the lineups. In this game, the visiting Panthers from Birch Run will be the home team and the hometown Eagles from Frankenmuth will be the visitors and bat first. Your Bleacher Denizen’s mind is a bit boggled by this, but everyone seems OK with it!
Here are the lineups!
FRANKENMUTH
Bri Barker c
Siena Bosco 2b
Chloe Compau dh
Emma Sprowl 1b
Miranda Polley p
Izzy Bernthal 3b
Mady Goodwin lf
Claire Edwards cf
Aliyah Sprowl ss
Breslyn Cornelius will play right field, but will not bat.
BIRCH RUN
Tayler Belanger c
Ally Richmond p
Maddi DeRosia cf
Avery Pagel ss
Casandra Solinski 3b
Gabby DiBerardino 2b
Myla Lasley lf
Kiley Smith 1b
Jasmine Sayan rf
Let’s look at the events of this game through the somewhat focused gaze of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who never had much of a baseball or softball career. I will say that opposing catchers and umpires alike both enjoyed the cooling breezes generated by my flailing (if not successful) attempts to hit pitched baseballs.
(But no matter what this video claims, your Bleacher Denizen feels that he is NOT too old to cut the mustard.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6GOgZAHqxI
Bri Barker was safe at third base on an error to lead off the game for the Eagles. She scored on an RBI groundout to first base by Siena Bosco. Ally Richmond retired the next two Eagle hitters on a grounder to the pitcher’s circle and a grounder to shortstop to end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored one run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Taylor walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Panthers. She went to second base on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Ally Richmond. Ally Richmond took second base on a wild pitch and went to third on a groundout to third base by Maddi DeRosia. Avery Pagel singled to drive Ally Richmond home.
Avery Pagel advanced to second base on a wild pitch and came around to score on an RBI infield single by Casandra Solinski. Casandra Solinski went to second base on the throw home. Casandra Solinski went to third base on a wild pitch. Miranda Polley struck out the next Panther hitter. Myla Lasley walked. Ball four was a wild pitch and Casandra Solinski scored during a rundown as Myla Lasley advanced to second base. Myla Lasley went to third base on a wild pitch. Kiley Smith walked. Ball four was a wild pitch and Myla Lasley scored. Miranda Polley retired the next Panther hitter on a popup to third base.
Birch Run scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 5-1 lead.
Ally Richmond struck out Frankenmuth’s leadoff batter in the top of the second inning and retired the next hitter on a groundout to third base. Kiley Smith made a nifty pickup at first base to make sure that the Panthers got the out.
Mady Goodwin singled up the middle and went to third base on a double by Claire Edwards. Mady Goodwin and Claire Edwards both scored when Aliyah Sprowl was safe at first on an error. Bri Barber walked and Aliyah Sprowl moved to second base. Siena Bosco was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Chloe Compau singled to drive in Aliyah Sprowl and Bri Barber. Siena Bosco moved to third base and Chloe Compau took second base on a throw to third base.
Emma Sprowl lined a single to left field to drive in Siena Bosco as Chloe Compau took third base. Miranda Polley lined a single to center field to drive in Chloe Compau as Emma Sprowl advanced to second base. Izzy Bernthal doubled down the left field line to drive Emma Sprowl home as Miranda Polley advanced to third base. Ally Richmond retired the next Eagle hitter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored seven runs in the top of the second inning to take an 8-5 lead.
Becca Adkins entered the game to play first base for Frankenmuth.
Claire Edwards made a nice running catch in center field to retire the Panther leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning. Ally Richmond was safe at first base on an error and took second base when Maddi DeRosia singled to left field. Avery Pagel singled to left center field to load the bases. Ally Richmond scored, Maddi DeRosia took third base and Avery Pagel advanced to second base on a passed ball.
Miranda Polley struck out the next two Panther hitters to end the inning.
Birch Run scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to trim the Frankenmuth lead to 8-6.
Ally Richmond retired Frankenmuth’s leadoff batter in the top of the third inning on a grounder to third base. Aliyah Sprowl beat out an infield single and went to second base on a single by Bri Barker. Ally Richmond retired the next two Eagle batters on a grounder to first base and a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Miranda Polley retired the Birch Run leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning on a grounder to the pitcher. Kiley Smith belted a double off the center field fence. Miranda Polley struck out the next Panther batter. Taylor Belanger walked. Frankenmuth’s next batter was out on a grounder to third base.
Ava Schomaker went into the game to play right field for Birch Run.
Ally Richmond retired the first two Frankenmuth batters in the top of the fourth inning on a strikeout and a fly where Panther shortstop Avery Pagel made a nice play running back to catch it. Izzy Bernthal beat out an infield single and went to second base when Mady Goodwin was safe at first base on an error. Ally Richmond retired the next Eagle batter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Miranda Polley retired the Panther leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning on a foul popup to the catcher. Avery Pagel singled up the middle and went to second base on a wild pitch. Casandra Solinski grounded a single up the middle to drive Avery Pagel home and went to second base on the throw to the plate.
Gabby DiBerardino was safe at first and Casandra Solinski out at third base on a fielder’s choice grounder. Gabby DiBerardino advanced to third base when Myla Lasley was safe at first base on an error. Gabby DiBerardino scored and Myla Lasley advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Frankenmuth Catcher Bri Barker showed great hustle and almost caught a foul popup for the third out. Kiley Smith singled to drive Myla Lasley home. Miranda Polley struck out the next Birch Run batter to end the inning.
Birch Run scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 9-8 lead.
Birch Run First Baseman Kiley Smith made a nice running catch of a fly running back to record Frankenmuth’s first out in the top of the fifth inning. Bri Barker smashed a home run over the left center field fence to tie the game.
Siena Bosco singled to center field and went to third base on a single to right field by Chloe Compau. Chloe Compau advanced to second base on the throw to third base. Emma Sprowl drilled a single to left field to drive Siena Bosco home as Chloe Compau advanced to third base. Miranda Polley singled to right field to drive in Chloe Compauy as Emma Sprowl moved to second base. Izzy Bernthal singled to left field to load the bases. Frankenmuth’s next batter grounded to Panther shortstop Avery Pagel, who fired the ball home to force the runner. Birch Run Catcher Taylor Belanger then fired to first base to complete the double play and end the inning.
Frankenmuth scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take an 11-9 lead.
Taylor Belanger drilled a ball so hard off the center field fence that she was held to a single to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Birch Run. She went to second base when Ally Richmond grounded a single to left field. Taylor Belanger advanced to third base and Ally Richmond to second base on a wild pitch. Miranda Holley retired the next Panther hitter on a line drive to the shortstop.
Avery Pagel blasted a three run home run to left field to give the lead back to the Panthers; Taylor Belanger and Ally Richmond also scored. Miranda Polley struck out the next Panther batter. Gabby DiBerardino crunched a double out to the center field fence. Myla Lasley singled to left field to drive Gabby DiBerardino home with an insurance run. Miranda Polley retired the next Birch Run batter on a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.
Birch Run scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 13-11 lead.
Ally Richmond retired Frankenmuth’s leadoff batter in the top of the sixth inning on a grounder to the shortstop. Aliyah Sprowl singled to left field. Aliyah Sprowl took third base when Bri Barker hit a double off the center left field fence. Ally Richmond retired the next two Eagle batters on a fly to first base and a groundout to second base.
Birch Run had a 13-11 lead after five and a half innings. Both teams agreed to end the game at that point, so Birch Run won the second game to split the doubleheader.
Bri Barker had a home run, double and single as well as one RBI for Frankenmuth. Izzy Bernthal had a double, two singles and one RBI. Chloe Compau and Emma Sprowl each had two singles and two RBI. Miranda Polley had two singles and one RBI.
Aliyah Sprowl had two singles. Claire Edwards had a double. Siena Bosco had a single and one RBI. Mady Goodwin had one single.
Miranda Polley pitched the complete game for Frankenmuth and struck out six Birch Run batters.
Avery Pagel led Birch Run with a home run, three singles and four RBI. Casandra Solinski had two singles and two RBI. Kiley Smith had a double, a single and one RBI. Ally Richmond had two singles. Gabby DiBerardino had a double. Myla Lasley had a single and one RBI. Taylor Belanger and Maddi DeRosia each contributed a single.
Ally Richmond pitched the complete game and struck out three batters.