North vs. South – – Hall of Fame All Star Softball Game – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 30, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, for the last event of the Bleacher Denizen’s High School Athletic Season, we have the North vs. South Softball Game. Later tonight, the East will compete with the West.

This game features many of the top softball seniors in the Lansing Area.

Here is the NORTH Team:

Lynaee Hill, Holt

Lola Knox, Holt

Sadie Laubenthal, Holt

Laila Wright, St. Johns

McKenna Bensinger, Waverly

Olivia Root, Holt

Addyson Buchin, Laingsburg

Kara Sandberg, Holt

Kennedy George, DeWitt

Lydia Finn, St. Johns

Dani Anzaldua, Waverly

Molly Brya, DeWitt

Avery Beach, Mason

Here is the SOUTH Team:

Makayla McRay, Pewamo-Westphalia

Ivy Davenport, Ithaca

Brooke DePeel, Eaton Rapids

Kennedi Ryan, Ithaca

Taylor Nurenberg, Pewamo-Westphalia

Chloe Feldpausch, Fowler

Kaelyn Adair, Leslie

Grace Nelson, Fowlerville

Emmalee Shankel, Ithaca

Ari Brooks, Eaton Rapids

Paisley Hansen, Fowler

Riley Cutler, Eaton Rapids

Tommie Kleinschmidt, Fowlerville

Valerie Curd, Fowlerville

Meadow Browne, Fowlerville

The North Team won the coin toss and elected to bat first. Your Bleacher Denizen sang the National Anthem, the players got their awards from the Hall of Fame.

Now that we know who will be playing, it is now time to take a look at this game through the somewhat operable eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen, who never had much of a softball career. Everything fell apart for the Bleacher Denizen’s hitting when the softball powers that be ruled that he would not be permitted ten strikes instead of three when he was batting. (It may not have helped all that much anyway.)

Ari Brooks was the starting pitcher for the South team. She retired the three North hitters in the top of the first inning on a popup to the shortstop, a line drive to the pitcher and a popup to first base.

Kara Sandberg was the starting pitcher for the North team.

Kennedi Ryan singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the South team. Kara Sandberg struck out the next South hitter. Kennedi Ryan stole second base and went to third base on an overthrow. Kennedi Ryan scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Paisley Hansen. Makayla McRae walked. Kara Sandberg struck out the next hitter to end the inning.

South scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

Ari Brooks retired the first two North hitters in the top of the second inning on a bouncer to the pitcher and a popup to the shortstop. South Second Baseman Makayla McRae made a great pickup going to her left and threw to first base to record the third out.

Kara Sandberg retired the first two South hitters in the bottom of the second inning on a strikeout and a fly to second base where Lynnae Hill made a great running catch. Chloe Feldpausch beat out an infield single. Kara Sandberg struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Makayla McRae took over in the pitcher’s circle for the South team.

Makayla McRae retired the North leadoff hitter on a grounder to second base. Kara Sandberg walked and went to second base on a wild pitch. Kennedy Goerge lined a single to center field and Kara Sandberg advanced to third base. Kennedy Goerge advanced to second base on the throw back to the infield. The next North hitter was out on a fly to the shortstop. North Center Fielder Taylor Nurenberg made a nice running catch to record the final out of the inning.

Addyson Buchin came in to pitch for the North team. She retired the three South hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a fly to center field, a one-hopper to first base and a grounder to the shortstop.

Makayle McRae retired the first two North hitters in the top of the fourth inning on a fly to right field and a grounder to third base. Lynnae Hill walked. South Shortstop Kennedi Ryan made a great diving spot, but Lola Knox beat it out for an infield single as Lynnae Hill advanced to second base. Avery Beach came in to run for Lola Knox. Makayla McRae retired the next hitter on a popup to the shortstop to end the inning.

Addyson Buchin retired the first two South hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a strikeout and a fly to right field. Kennedi Ryan singled to left field and stole second base. Addyson Buchin struck out the next South hitter to end the inning.

With four full innings in the books, South continued to hold a 1-0 lead.

Grace Nelson came in to pitch for Fowler Grace Nelson struck out the North leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. McKenna Bensinger singled to left field. South Catcher Emmalee Shankel fired the ball to second base to catch the runner stealing. Olivia Root lined a single to left field. North made its third out on a bouncer to the pitcher.

Kara Sandberg went back to the pitcher’s circle for the North team.

Paisley Hansen led off the bottom of the fifth inning for the South team with a single to right field. Kara Sandberg struck out the next South hitter. Paisley Hansen was out at second base and Riley Cutler safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to second base. Kara Sandberg retired the next batter on a bouncer to the shortstop to end the inning.

Grace Nelson retired the first two North hitters in the top of the sixth inning on a popup to first base and a strikeout. Lydia Finn walked. Dani Anzaldua singled to left field. Lydia Finn advanced to third base and Dani Anzaldua took second base on the throw to third base. North made its third out on a grounder to second base.

Ari Brooks walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for the South team. Addyson Buchin retired the next batter on a fly to left field. Ari Brooks advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Addyson Buchin struck out the next South hitter and got the third out on a bouncer to first base.

Ari Brooks came in to pitch the top of the seventh inning for the South team. Ari Brooks retired the three North hitters on a grounder to the shortstop, a grounder to third base and a fly to the shortstop.

South won this exciting game by the final score of 1-0.

Lola Knox, McKenna Bensinger, Olivia Root, Kennedy Goerge and Dani Anzaldua each had a single for the North team.

Kennedi Ryan had two singles for the South team. Paisley Hansen had a single and one RBI. Chloe Feldpausch had a single.

In the night’s second game, the West All-Stars played the East All-Stars. Here is the play by play of that game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/07/01/east-vs-west-hall-of-fame-all-star-softball-game-the-bleacher-denizen-june-27-2025-by-chuck-krafft/