DeWitt at Fowler – – Softball – – First Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 9, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Your Bleacher Denizen is off to Fowler this afternoon. The Eagles will be hosting the Panthers from DeWitt in a Softball Doubleheader.

It was an interesting drive to Fowler. Your Bleacher Denizen was hoping to have time to get a haircut in Portland on his way to the game, but Mr. Expressway decided to morph into Mr. Parking Lot, so that plan was foiled. As he generally does not go west on I-96 to get to Fowler, he used GPS to take him to the Eagle softball field.

The GPS declared that your Bleacher Denizen needed to get off on Wright road. (This is certainly better than the wrong road.) Anyway, the GPS directed the BleacherDenizenMobile to the Fowler softball field and it was time to get lineups and start taking notes.

Today’s first game will also count in tomorrow’s softball tournament at DeWitt where DeWitt and Fowler will both be playing. The second game will just be a routine non-conference game.

Here are the starting lineups. Fowler is the home team and DeWitt will bat first.

DEWITT

Mayah Walker ss

Ruby Puck p

Madeline Torrence 3b

Kiley Zatkin dp

Sydney Ferguson rf

Mikayla Kent c

Molly Brya 2b

Kennedy Goerge 1b

Jamie Cook cf

Ellery Harshman will play left field, but will not bat.

FOWLER

Selena Stump p

Saige Miller ss

Natalie Smith lf

Addison Spicer 3b

Paisley Hansen 1b

Kerigan Pung 2b

Neelah O’Rourke rf

Molly Schlak c

Chloe Feldpausch cf

It is now time to review the events of these games through the occasionally clear lens of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to get off to much of a start as a baseball or softball player. He was showing a lot of promise as an outfielder who caught a lot of balls until the baseball powers that be declared he was no longer to use a bushel basket to catch fly balls in the outfield. Alas, when the balls started dropping in, the playing time started dropping off.

Fowler Pitcher Selena Stump retired the three DeWitt first inning hitters on a grounder to shortstop, a fly to center field where Chloe Feldpausch made a great running catch and a grounder to first base.

Selena Stump lined a single to left field to open the bottom of the first inning for Fowler. DeWitt Pitcher Ruby Puck get the next Eagle hitter out on a fly to center field where Jamie Cook made a fine running catch for DeWitt. Natalie Smith lined a single to left field and Selena Stump advanced to second base. Fowler’s next two batters were out on fielders’ choice grounders to third base to end the inning.

Kiley Zatkin walked to lead off the top of the second inning for DeWitt. Sydney Ferguson was safe at first base and Kiley Zatkin out at second base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Selena Stump retired the next two Panther Batters on a fly to second base where Kerigan Pung made an excellent running catch and a strikeout.

Kerigan Pung singled to right field to lead off the bottom of the second inning for Fowler. Ruby Puck struck out the next Eagle hitter. Kerrigan Pung went to second base when Molly Schlak was safe at first base on an error. Kerigan Pung stole third base, but held there when Molly Feldpausch was safe on a bunt that traveled about three feet from home plate. Molly Schlak advanced to second base on the play and the bases were loaded.

Selena Stump grounded a single up the middle as Kerigan Pung scored, Molly Schlak took third base and Chloe Feldpausch second base. The bases were still loaded, but not for long as Saige Miller blasted a double to left center field and all three runners scored. Saige Miller took third base on a throw to home plate; she scored on an RBI groundout to second base by Natalie Smith. Addison Spicer was safe at first base on an error. Fowler made its third out on a fly to right field to end the inning.

Fowler scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Kennedy Goerge singled to center field to lead off the top of the third inning for DeWitt. Jamie Cook lined a single to right field and Kennedy Goerge went to second base. Jamie Cook was out at second base and Mayah Walker safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Kennedy Goerge advanced to third base.

Jamie Clark ran part of the way to second base to draw a throw from the catcher. Kennedy Goerge broke for home and scored; Jamie Clark made it to second base on the throw to home plate. DeWitt had its first run. Chloe Feldpausch made another fine running catch in center field for Fowler to secure the second DeWitt Out. Madeline Torrence tripled to right field and drove Jamie Clark home. Kiley Zatkin singled to center field to drive Madeline Torrence in. DeWitt made its final out of the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

DeWitt scored three runs in the top of the third inning to shave the Fowler lead to 5-3.

Ruby Puck retired the three Fowler hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a line drive to first base, a grounder to first base where Molly Brya alertly covered first base to make sure DeWitt got the out and a fly to center field.

DeWitt’s fourth inning leadoff batter Mikayla Kent singled to centerfield and got to second base on an error. Ava Kujansuu entered the game as a courtesy runner for Mikayla Kent. Molly Brya singled to center field and Ava Kujansuu advanced to third base; Molly Brya took second base on the throw to third base. Kennedy Goerge lined a single to center field to drive Ava Kujansuu home as Molly Brya advanced to third base. Jamie Cook lined a single down the right field line to drive in Molly Brya as Kennedy Goerge advanced to second base.

Selena Stump struck out the next DeWitt batter. Ruby Puck doubled to right field to drive Kennedy Goerge and Jamie Cook home. Olivia Moyer went in as a courtesy runner for Ruby Puck. DeWitt made its final two outs of the inning on a fly to center field and a grounder to second base.

DeWitt scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 8-5 lead.

Fowler’s leadoff batter was out when she stepped out of the batter’s box as she hit the ball. Selena Stump singled to left field. Saige Miller singled to center field. When an error was make, Selena Stump was able to score and Saige Miller got all the way to third base. Natalie Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive Saige Miller home. Ruby Puck retired the next Fowler batter on a fly to center field to end the inning.

Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the DeWitt lead to 8-7.

Selena Stump retired the first two Panther batters in the top of the fifth inning on a grounder to the shortstop and a fly to center field. Molly Brya singled to left field. Kennedy Goerge singled to right field and Molly Brya advanced to second base. DeWitt made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

Fowler’s leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning was out on a fly to center field. Kerigan Pung beat out an infield single and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Neelah O’Rourke. Molly Schlak walked. Chloe Feldpausch blooped a single to center field to drive Kerrigan Pung home with the tying run as Molly Schlak went to third base. Selena Stump singled to drive in Molly Schlak with the go-ahead run as Chloe Feldpausch went to second base.

Saige Miller singled off the shortstop’s glove; Chloe Feldpausch went to third base and Selena Stump to second. Natalie Smith singled to drive in Chloe Feldpausch and Selena Stump as Saige Miller advanced to third base. Addison Spicer singled to center field to drive in Saige Miller as Natalie Smith advanced to second base. Fowler made its third out on a bouncer to the pitcher.

Fowler scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 12-8 lead.

Selena Stump retired the three DeWitt hitters in the top of the sixth inning on a popup to first base, a fly to left field and yet another great running catch in center field by Chloe Feldpausch.

Ruby Puck retired Fowler’s first two batters in the bottom of the sixth inning on a grounder to the shortstop and a strikeout. Molly Schlak singled to center field and went all the way to third base when Chloe Feldpausch beat out another beautifully placed bunt single. Selena Stump doubled to drive in Molly Schlak and Chloe Feldpausch; she advanced to third base on a throw to the plate.

Saige Miller walked and stole second base. Fowler made its final out of the inning when DeWitt Center Fielder Jamie Cook made a fantastic running catch of a line drive by Natalie Smith; the ball looked like it was only six inches off the ground! What a play!!!

Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to boost its lead to 14-8.

Selena Stump retired DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the top of the seventh inning on a grounder to second base. Sydney Ferguson doubled to left field. She held at second base as Pinch Hitter Emily Agnew was safe on a single that went just over the first baseman’s head and took an odd bounce. Sydney Ferguson advanced to third base and Emily Agnew to second on a wild pitch.

Selena Stump struck out the next Panther hitter. Sydney Ferguson and Emily Agnew both scored when Kennedy Goerge was safe at second base on an error. Selena Stump struck out the next DeWitt batter to end the game.

DeWitt scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Fowler held on and won the game by the final score of 14-10.

Madeline Torrence had a triple and one RBI for DeWitt. Kennedy George had three singles and one RBI. Jamie Cook had two singles and one RBI. Mayah Walker had a double and two RBI. Sydney Ferguson had a double. Molly Brya had two singles. Kiley Zatkin had a single and one RBI. Mikayla Kent and Emily Agnew each had a single.

Ruby Puck pitched the complete game for DeWitt and struck out two Fowler batters.

Selena Stump had a double, four singles and four RBI for DeWitt. Saige Miller had a double, two singles and three RBI. Chloe Feldpausch had three singles and one RBI. Natalie Smith had two singles and three RBI. Molly Schlak had two singles. Addison Spicer had one single and one RBI. Kerigan Pung had one single.

Selena Stump pitched the complete game for Fowler and struck out four DeWitt batters.

I also covered the second game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/05/10/dewitt-at-fowler-softball-second-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-9-2025-by-chuck-krafft/