Perry at Laingsburg – – Softball – – Second Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 14, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

This is the second game of the big softball doubleheader between the host Laingsburg Wolfpack and the visiting Perry Ramblers. These two teams sit at the top of the CMAC softball standings this year and are playing a doubleheader that will probably decide the league championship. I was here to cover the opening game. Here is the play by play of the opener! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/05/15/perry-at-laingsburg-softball-first-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-14-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

While we wait for this game to start, I hope you will enjoy this rendition of “Sixteen Tons” from my You Tube Channel. (I mention in the video that I hope no one will report me for impersonating a bass. I hope you guys will go along with that.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-UGfn4M10

In this second game, even though we are playing in Laingsburg, the Wolfpack will be the visiting team and bat first. While your Bleacher Denizen is being confused and having to fight off typos, the crowd seems to understand, so I guess I need to go along with this. Here are the starting lineups!

LAINGSBURG

Savvy Stirm 1b

Alayna Merrell 2b

Bella Latuszek ss

Addy Buchin 3b

Peyton Stahr p

Harper Strouse c

Makenna Johnston rf

Alaina Ahser dp

JuJu Latuszek cf

Willow Patterson will play left field, but will not bat.

PERRY

Teagen Hallock cf

Sara Austin p

Madison Ralston ss

Alivia Davis 1b

Bella Hamel 3b

Ava Positano c

Grace Spiess lf

Jessica Polhemus lf

Emma Winans rf

Ryleigh Allen will play second base, but will not bat.

It is now time to review the events of this game through the somewhat open eyes of a grey-haired Bleacher Denizen whose baseball and softball careers never really got going. Your Bleacher Denizen tried to invent a magnet that would attract the ball to an aluminum bat, but science had other ideas and your Bleacher Denizen was doomed to spend his baseball career aimlessly missing pitches.

Savvy Stirm led off the top of the first inning for Laingsburg with a single to left field. She took second base on a sacrifice bunt by Alayna Merrell. Savvy Stirm advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Savvy Stirm scored when Bella Latuszek was safe at first base on an error. Bella Latuszek advanced to second base on a groundout by Addy Buchin.

Peyton Stahr grounded a single to left field to drive Bella Latuszek home. Harper Strouse blasted a triple to right field to drive in Peyton Stahr. Perry Pitcher Sara Austin retired the next hitter on a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.

Laingsburg scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Teagen Hallock led off the bottom of the first inning for Perry and took second base on an error. Laingsburg Pitcher Peyton Stahr retired the next Rambler batter on a fly to left field. Madison Ralston lined a single to left field and drove Teagen Hallock home. Alivia Davis singled to left field and Madison Ralston advanced to third base. Alivia Davis stole second base.

Bella Hamel singled to left field and drove Madison Ralston home as Alivia Davis advanced to third base. Bella Hamel went to second base on a throw to home plate. Peyton Stahr retired the next hitter on a grounder to second base as the runners held and struck out the next Rambler hitter to end the inning.

Perry scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to cut the Laingsburg lead to 3-2.

Sara Austin retired the three Laingsburg hitters in the top of the second inning on a strikeout, a grounder to third base and a fly to left field.

Jessica Polhemus blasted a double to left field to lead off the bottom of the second inning for Perry. Emma Winans walked. Laingsburg Center Fielder JuJu Latuszek made a nice shoestring catch in center field to get the first Perry out. Jessica Polhemus alertly scrambled back to second base to avoid being doubled off. Peyton Stahr retired the next two Rambler batters on a grounder to second base and a popup to first base to end the inning.

Sara Austin struck out Laingsburg’s leadoff batter in the top of the third inning. Bella Latuszek singled up the middle and went to third base on a single to right field by Addy Buchin. Sara Austin struck out the next Wolfpack hitter and got the third out on a fly to center field.

Laingsburg Right Fielder Makenna Johnston made a great running catch to retire Perry’s leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third inning. Peyton Stahr retired the next batter on a fly to the shortstop.

With a 1-2 count on the next batter, Ava Positano, the rains came and after about twenty minutes, the field was too muddy to play. (I guess, we at least avoided a Biblical Flood.) The game was postponed at this point.

I wish I was one of those big time reporters who had access to a whirling, rotating meme to signify the passing of time. As I don’t, I guess I’ll just tell you that I learned the next day that the game would resume at 4:30 on Friday. (The rain happened on Wednesday.)

When the game resumed, Laingsburg Pitcher Peyton Stahr threw one pitch to strikeout the next batter and end the bottom of the third inning. After three innings, Laingsburg held a 3-2 lead.

Perry Pitcher Sara Austin retired the Laingsburg leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning on a popup to the shortstop and got the second Wolfpack out on a strikeout. JuJu Latuszek singled to center field and stole second base. Savvy Stirm was hit by a pitch. JuJu Latuszek and Savvy Stirm worked a double steal that put JuJu Latuszek on third base and Savvy Stirm on second base. Sara Austin struck out the next Wolfpack batter to end the inning.

Peyton Stahr retired the first two Perry hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a groundout to shortstop and a strikeout. Emma Winans was hit by a pitch and went to second base when Teagen Hallock singled to left field. Perry made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

Sara Austin struck out the Laingsburg leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. Addy Buchin was safe at second base on an error. Sara Austin struck out the next batter. Addy Buchin went to third base on a passed ball and scored on a wind-blown single to left field by Harper Strouse. Laingsburg made its final out of the inning on a groundout to second base.

Laingsburg scored won run in the top of the fifth inning to boost its lead to 4-2.

Madison Ralston doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for the Ramblers. Peyton Stahr retired the next Perry hitter on a fly to the shortstop. Madison Ralston took third base on a groundout to third base by Bella Hamel. Ava Positano singled off the pitcher’s chest to drive in Madison Ralston. Perry made its third out when Laingsburg Third Baseman Addy Buchin made an excellent catch running in to snare a fly ball.

Perry scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the Laingsburg lead to 4-3.

Sara Austin retired the three Laingsburg batters in the top of the sixth inning on a grounder to first base, a strikeout and a foul fly to left field where Grace Spiess made an impressive running catch.

Peyton Stahr retired the first two Laingsburg batters in the bottom of the sixth inning on a grounder to second base and a popup to first base. Teagen Hallock blasted a home run over the left field fence to tie the game. The next batter was out when Laingsburg Left Fielder Willow Patterson caught a hard line drive.

Perry scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4.

Alayna Merrell walked to lead off the top of the seventh inning for Perry and stole second base. She advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Alayna Merrell scored on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. The throw went home and Bella Matuszek was safe at first base. Bella Matuszek went to second base on a bounceout to first base by Addy Buchin. Sara Austin struck out the next two Wolfpack batters.

Laingsburg scored one run to take a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

Addy Buchin came in to pitch for Laingsburg and Peyton Stahr moved to third base.

Addy Buchin retired Perry’s leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning on a fly to left field. Alivia Davis drew a walk and went to second base when Bella Hamel lined a single into center field. Alivia Davis was out at third base and Ava Positano safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Bella Hamel advanced to second base on the play.

Grace Spiess singled to right field to drive Bella Hamel home as Ava Positano advanced to second base. Peyton Stahr retired the next Rambler batter on a bunted fly to third base.

Perry scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5. The game went into extra innings.

I just learned that the CMAC uses a tie breaker similar to the one they use in baseball in the major leagues where the person who batted last in the previous inning is placed on second base and the inning starts from there. Harper Strouse was placed on second base to start the top of the eighth inning.

Harper Strouse advanced to third base on a single to center field by Makenna Johnston and scored on an error; Makenna Johnston advanced to second base. Sara Austin retired the next three Laingsburg batters on a fly to second base, a strikeout and a fly to center field where Savvy Stirm made a bid for an extra base hit, but Teagen Hallock made a great running catch to secure the out.

Laingsburg scored one run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 6-5 lead.

Jessica Polhemus was placed at second base to open the bottom of the eighth inning for Perry. Addy Buchin struck out the next Perry hitter. Teagen Hallock drew a walk. Sara Austin singled to right field; Jessica Polhemus advanced to third base and Teegen Hallock to second base as the bases were loaded with one out.

Madison Ralston walked to force Jessica Polhemus in with the tying run. Teegen Hallock advanced to third base and Sara Austin to second base. Addy Buchin struck out the next Rambler batter. With two out and the bases loaded, Bella Hamel singled to left field to drive Teegen Hallock in with the winning run.

Perry won this game 7-6 in eight innings.

Harper Strouse had a triple, a single and one RBI for Laingsburg. Bella Latuszek had a single and two RBI. Peyton Stahr had a single and one RBI. Savvy Stirm, Addy Buchin, Makenna Johnston and JuJu Latuszek each had one single.

Peyton Stahr pitched six innings to Laingsburg and struck out three Perry batters. Addy Buchin pitched two innings and struck out two batters.

Teegen Hallock had a home run, two singles and one RBI for Perry. Bella Hamel had three singles and two RBI, which included the final walkoff single. Madison Ralston had a double, a single and one RBI. Jessica Polhemus had a double. Ava Positan and Grace Spiess each had one single and one RBI. Sara Austin and Alivia Davis each had one single.

Sara Austin pitched the complete game for Perry and struck out eleven Laingsburg batters.