Eaton Rapids at Portland – – Softball – – Second Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 13, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, your Bleacher Denizen is at Portland High where the Raiders are hosting the Eaton Rapids Greyhounds in a game that will be very important in the CAAC-White standings as Eaton Rapids, Portland and Lansing Catholic are all having great seasons and have all won each of their league games except when they are playing each other.

I covered the first game of the doubleheader as well. Here is the play by play of that game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/05/14/eaton-rapids-at-portland-softball-first-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-13-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

The Portland softball team had a nice ceremony where each of the five seniors were honored along with their parents and given roses! Autumn Reffitt, Robin Ward, Anna Morris, Bailee Fish and Anastasia Seidelman were all honored.

While we wait for this game to begin, I hope you will enjoy this video of “Glow Worm” from my You Tube Channel. I know many of you have heard junior high bands play this song a bit too often, but I hope you will give this rendition a listen!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbyez-hYtDY&list=PLSir_FEyxp2de8zLXh1B8WyFsN87VDqRA&index=2

And to summarize your Bleacher Denizen in his current state of life, here’s “Too Old to Cut the Mustard.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6GOgZAHqxI&list=PLSir_FEyxp2de8zLXh1B8WyFsN87VDqRA&index=6

Your Bleacher Denizen retreated to the press box to get his notes (and to be honest, himself) out of the rain. During the second game, the announcer and I were visited by Kaden Warner, a Portland fifth grader, who came in to run the scoreboard when the seat was left vacant. Kaden is a baseball player himself and understands the game pretty well. He did a fine job running the scoreboard and had a lot of solid things to say about the game! It was a pleasure having him in the press box with us!!

Here are the starting lineups. Even though we are in Portland, the Eaton Rapids Greyhounds will be the “home” team and bat last. Your Bleacher Denizen struggles to understand this mind-boggling circumstance (although Kaden seems to get it pretty easily.) Portland will bat first.

PORTLAND

Bella Spitzley p

Bailee Fish c

Lilly Thelen cf

Rylee Miller 1b

Autumn Reffitt 3b

Claire Lyon ss

Anastasia Seidelman lf

Molli Miilu dp

Veda Smith

Willa Almy will play second base, but will not bat.

EATON RAPIDS

Abi Pratt ss

Mallory Smith 2b

Kalli Ordiway p

Riley Cutler c

Maddy Putnam cf

Brooke DePeel 3b

Danika Finch dp

Mae Schutte 1b

Taylor Orta lf

Cheyenne Drinkwater will play right field, but will not bat.

Let’s take a look at the events of this game through the occasionally clear lenses of an aging Bleacher Denizen who semi-proudly recalls the time he broke up a no hitter! Unfortunately, he was standing in center field at the time and let a fly ball drop. As he did not touch it, no error was called, but the pitcher’s father was (understandably) a bit dismayed at the event. (The pitcher actually handled it pretty well; he heard another player call me off the ball, but after I glared at him, neither of us went for the ball. My guess is that Kaden would have made the correct play.)

Bella Spitzley led off the top of the first inning by pounding a home run to left field for Portland. Eaton Rapids Pitcher Kalli Ordiway retired the next batter on a fly to right field. Lilly Thelen tripled to center field and scored on a wild pitch. Rylee Miller walked and went to second base on a single by Autumn Reffitt. Claire Lyon belted a double out to the center field fence; Rylee Miller scored and Claire Lyon took third base.

Autumn Reffitt scored and Claire Lyon advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly to left field by Anastasia Seidelman. Claire Lyon scored when Molli Miilu was safe at first base on an error. Portland made its final out of the inning on a foul popup to left field.

Portland scored five runs in the top of the first inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Portland Pitcher Bella Spitzley retired the Greyhound leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning on a grounder to the pitcher. Mallory Smith was safe at first base on an error and advanced to second base when Kalli Ordiway was hit by a pitch. Mallory Smith stole third base and Kalli Ordiway stole second. Bella Spitzley struck out the next batter and retired the next Greyhound hitter on a fly to right field to end the inning.

Kalli Ordiway retired the Portland leadoff batter in the second inning on a foul popup to the shortstop. Bailee Fish beat out a squib single. Brynn Nelson went in as a courtesy runner for Bailee Fish. Portland made its next out on a fly to right field. Kalli Ordiway struck out the next batter for the third Raider out.

Brooke DePeel was safe on an error to lead off the bottom of the third inning for Eaton Rapids. The next batter hit a ground ball to Willa Almy at second base. Willa Almy flipped the ball to shortstop Claire Lyon to get the force at second base and Claire Lyon fired the ball to Rylee Miller at first base to complete the double play. The next hitter made the third Greyhound out on a fly to the shortstop.

Kalli Ordiway retired the three Portland hitters in the top of the third inning on a fly to left field, a strikeout and a grounder to the shortstop.

Bella Spitzley got the first two Eaton Rapids hitters in the bottom of the third inning to fly out to left field. Mallory Smith singled up the middle. Mallory Smith took third base on a single by Kalli Ordiway; Kalli Ordiway advanced to second base on the throw to third base. Riley Cutler singled up the middle to drive Mallory Smith and Kalli Ordiway home. Eaton Rapids made its final out on a grounder to third base.

Eaton Rapids scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to shave the Raider lead to 5-2.

Molli Miilu beat out an infield single to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Portland. She was stranded at first base when Kalli Ordiway retired the next three Raider hitters on a popped up bunt, a nice running catch in left field by Taylor Orta and a grounder to the shortstop.

Bella Spitzley got the Eaton Rapids fourth inning leadoff batter out on a fly to center field. Danika Finch grounded a single to left field. Danika Finch was out at second base and Mae Schutte safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Eaton Rapids made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

Kalli Ordiway struck out Portland’s leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. Taylor Orta made a fine play to catch a sinking line drive (just a foot or so off the ground) for Portland’s second out. Autumn Reffitt singled to center field. Portland made its final out of the inning on a bouncer to third base.

Bella Spitzley retired Eaton Rapids’ leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth inning on a line drive to center field. Mallory Smith was safe on an error and stole second base. Kalli Ordiway blasted a home run ovver the right field fence; she and Mallory Smith both scored.

The next Greyhound hitter was out on a grounder to the shortstop. Maddy Putnam walked. Eaton Rapids made its final out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

Eaton Rapids scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Portland lead to 5-4.

Anastasia Seidelman beat out an infield single to lead off the top of the sixth inning for the Raiders. She advanced to second base on a passed ball and held there when Molli Miilu beat out an infield single off the third baseman’s glove. Anastasia Seidelman took third base and Molli Miilu second base on a sacrifice bunt by Veda Smith.

Bella Spitzley singled to left field to drive Anastasia Seidelman home as Molli Miilu advanced to third base. Robin Ward came in as a courtesy runner for Bella Spitzley. Molli Miilu scored and Robin Ward went to third base when Bailee Fish was safe at second base on an error. Anna Morris entered the game as a courtesy runner for Bailee Fish.

Air Brooks came in to pitch for Eaton Rapids. She got out of the inning when the next hitter grounded out to first base and Mae Schutte fired the ball home to retire the runner trying to score from second base.

Portland scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to boost its lead to 7-4.

Danika Finch singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for Eaton Rapids. Lilly Thelen made a great grab to prevent the ball from going for extra bases. Cheyenne Drinkwater entered the game as a pinch runner for Danika Finch. Bella Spitzley retired the next Greyhound batter on a fly to right field. Ari Brooks pinch hit and singled to center field. Cheyenne Drinkwater advanced to third base. Taylor Orta pinch ran for Ari Brooks.

Taylor Orta stole second base. Abi Pratt singled to center field to drive Cheyenne Drinkwater home as Taylor Orta advanced to third base. Abi Pratt took second base on a throw to home. Taylor Orta scored on a sacrifice fly by Mallory Smith and Abi Pratt advanced to third base. Abi Pratt scored the game’s tying run on an infield single by Kalli Ordiway. The Greyhounds made their third out on a grounder to first base.

Eaton Rapids scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one inning to play, the teams were tied at 7-7.

Ari Brooks continued in the pitcher’s circle for Eaton Rapids.

Rylee Miller singled to left field to lead off the top of the seventh inning for Portland. She advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Autumn Reffitt and took third on a wild pitch. Ari Brooks got a crucial strikeout to keep the runner at third base. Robin Ward came in to pinch run for Rylee Miller. Ari Brooks got the next batter out on a fly to right field to end the inning while holding Portland scoreless.

Maddy Putnam walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and went to second base on a sacrifice by Brooke DePeel. Danika Finch hit a walkoff double down the left field line to drive Maddy Putnam home with the winning run.

Eaton Rapids won the second game of this doubleheader 8-7, so the teams split for the day.

Bella Spitzley had a home run, a single and two RBI for Portland. Autumn Reffitt and Milli Miilo each had two singles. Lilly Thelen had a triple. Claire Lyon had a double and one RBI. Bailee Fish and Anastasia Seidelman each had a single and one RBI. Rylee Miller had a single.

Bella Spitzley pitched the complete game for Portland.

Kalli Ordiway had a home run, two singles and three RBI for Eaton Rapids. Danika Finch had a double, two singles and one RBI. Riley Cutler had a single and two RBI. Abi Pratt and Mallory Smith head had a single and one RBI. Ari Brooks had a single.

Kalli Ordiway pitched five and one third innings for Eaton Rapids and struck out three batters. Ari Brooks pitched one and two thirds innings. She got one strikeout that was crucial in preventing Portland from scoring in the top of the seventh inning.