DeWitt at Fowler – – Second Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 8, 2026 – – by Chuck Krafft

This is the second game of the softball doubleheader featuring the Fowler Eagles and the DeWitt Panthers. I also covered the first game of this doubleheader. Here is the link to that article. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2026/05/09/dewitt-at-fowler-first-game-of-softball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-8-2026-by-chuck-krafft/

In this second game, like in many high school doubleheaders, the visiting team will be the “home” team for the second game and will bat last. This scenario frequently causes your Aging Bleacher Denizen’s mind to boggle, but he has to admit that the players, coaches and umpires seem to adjust with little if any difficult.

Here are the starting lineups. Despite your Bleacher Denizen’s semi-addled confusion, Fowler will bat first and DeWitt will be the home team and bat last even though we are playing on Fowler’s field and are about twenty-five or so miles from DeWitt.

FOWLER

Bristol Miller 2b

Rachel Wirth cf

Saige Miller ss

Addie Spicer 3b

Selena Stump rf

Molly Schlak lf

Jayden Feldpausch c

Payton Rademacher 1b

Ayana Canfield dp

Addy Smith will pitch, but will not bat.

DEWITT

Ruby Puck ss

Tess Rypstra p

Ellery Harshman cf

Madeline Torrence 2b

Kiley Zatkin 1b

Emily Agnew c

Kaydence Bellinger 3b

Kelsie Queen dp

London Montgomery rf

Caroline Chumbley will play left field, but will not bat.

DeWitt Pitcher Tess Rypstra retired Fowler’s leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning on a grounder to the shortstop. Rachel Wirth singled to left field. Rachel Wirth stole second base and then third base; she scored on a wild pitch.

Saige Miller walked and stole second base. Addie Spicer walked. Saige Miller advanced to third base and Addie Spicer to second base on a wild pitch. Saige Miller scored and Addie Spicer took third base when Selena Stump was safe at first base on an error. Tess Rypstra struck out the next Fowler hitter. The Eagles made their third out on a grounder to second base.

Fowler scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Fowler Pitcher Addy Smith retired the DeWitt leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a grounder to the shortstop. Tess Rypstra walked. Shayna Lacy entered the game as a courtesy runner for Tess Rypstra. Ellery Harshman singled down the left field line and Shayna Lacy advanced to second base. DeWitt made its second out on a fly to the shortstop.

Shayna Lacy took third base and Ellery Smith second base on a wild pitch. Kiley Zatkin walked to load the bases. Addy Smith retired the next Panther batter on a fly to center field to end the inning.

Tess Rypstra retired the first two Fowler batters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to second base and a strikeout. Bristol Miller singled up the middle. DeWitt Catcher Emily Agnew fired the ball to catch the runner stealing for the third out.

Kaydence Ballinger was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second inning for DeWitt. Kelsie Queen walked and Kaydence Ballinger took second base. Addy Smith struck out the next DeWitt hitter, but the hitter had to be thrown out at first base because the third strike was dropped. Kaydence Ballinger advanced to third base and Kelsie Queen to second base on the play.

Kaydence Ballinger scored and Kelsie Queen went to third base on a wild pitch. Ruby Puck walked. Kelsie Queen scored and Ruby Puck went to second base on a wild pitch. Ruby Puck went to third base on a wild pitch. Ruby Puck scored on an RBI groundout to third base by Tess Rypstra to give DeWitt the go-ahead run.

Ellery Harshman blasted a double to deep left field. Madeline Torrence singled off the second baseman’s glove to drive Ellery Harshman home. Kiley Zatkin walked and Madeline Torrence advanced to second base. Emily Agnew walked to load the bases. Kaydence Ballinger walked to force Madeline Torrence home as Kiley Zatkin advanced to third base and Emily Agnew to second base.

Kelsie Queen singled to center field to drive Kiley Zatkin and Emily Agnew home. Kaydence Ballinger advanced to third base. London Montgomery was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kaydence Ballinger scored, Kelsie Queen advanced to third base and London Montgomery to second base when Ruby Puck was safe at first base on an error. DeWitt made its third out on a popup to the shortstop.

DeWitt scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an 8-2 lead.

Fowler’s leadoff batter in the top of the third inning was out on a popup to third base. Saige Miller walked and stole second base. Fowler’s next hitter was out on a grounder to the shortstop. Selena Stump singled to drive Saige Miller home. Because of a fielding error, Selena Stump advanced to third base. Selena Stump scored on a single to center field by Molly Schlak. Fowler made its third out on a popup to the shortstop.

Fowler scored two runs in the top of the third inning to shave the DeWitt lead to 8-4.

Addy Smith retired DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning on a fly to center field. Madeline Torrence was safe at first base on an error. DeWitt made its next out on a fly to left field and the third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

Payton Rademacher doubled to the center field fence to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Fowler. She went to second base on a groundout to second base by Ayana Canfield. Tess Rypstra retired the next two batters on a fly to the pitcher and a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.

Amber Ruiz went in to play left field for Fowler. Molly Schlak moved to right field.

Addy Smith retired DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to center field. Kelsie Queen walked. London Montgomery beat out an infield single and Kelsie Queen advanced to second base. Kelsie Queen went to third base and London Montgomery to second base when Ruby Puck walked.

Tess Rypstra walked to force Kelsie Queen home. London Montgomery advanced to third base and Ruby Puck to second. London Montgomery scored, Ruby Puck went to third base and Tess Rypstra to second base on a wild pitch. DeWitt’s next batter was out on a fly to the shortstop.

Madeline Torrence doubled off the center field fence to drive Ruby Puck and Tess Rypstra home. Kiley Zatkin walked.

Harleigh Antes went in to pitch for Fowler.

Emily Agnew walked to punch Madeline Torrence to third base and Kiley Zatkin to second. Mayah Walker entered the game as a courtesy runner for Emily Agnew. Madeline Torrence scored, Kiley Zatkin went to third base and Mayah Walker went to second base when Kaydence Ballinger was safe at first base on an error.

Kelsie Queen singled to drive Kiley Zatkin and Mayah Walker home as Kaydence Ballinger advanced to third base. Kaydence Ballinger scored and Kelsie Queen advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Kelsie Queen held at second base when London Montgomery was safe at first base on an error. Harleigh Antes got DeWitt’s third out on a fly to second base.

DeWitt scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to push its lead to 16-4.

Saige Miller singled to left field to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Fowler and advanced to second base on a groundout to shortstop by Addie Spicer. Saige Miller advanced to third base when Amber Ruiz was safe at first base after she struck out, but the third strike was not caught. Amber Ruiz stole second base.

Molly Schlak walked to load the bases. Saige Miller scored, Amber Ruiz went to third base and Molly Schlak went to second base on an RBI groundout to the pitcher by Jayden Feldpausch. Payton Rademacher walked to reload the bases. Tess Rypstra got the third Fowler out on a fly to the shortstop.

Fowler scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to shave the DeWitt lead to 16-5.

Because DeWitt had more than a ten run lead before it came to bat in the fifth inning, the game was ended and DeWitt was declared the winner because of the mercy rule.

Molly Schlak had a double and one RBI for Fowler. Payton Rademacher had a double. Selena Stump had a single and two RBI. Bristol Miller, Rachel Wirth and Saige Miller each had a single. Jayden Feldpausch had one RBI.

Addy Miller pitched three and two thirds innings for Fowler. Harleigh Antes pitched one third of an inning.

Madeline Torrence had a double, a single and three RBI for DeWitt. Ellery Harshman had a single and a double. Kelsie Queen had two singles and four RBI. London Montgomery had a single. Tess Rypstra had two RBI. Kaydence Ballinger had one RBI.

Tess Rypstra pitched the complete five inning game for DeWitt and struck out three Fowler hitters.

‘