Fowler vs. Brown City – – MHSAA Division 4 Softball Semifinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 12, 2026 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, in the second Division 4 Softball Semifinal of the day, the Eagles from Fowler will compete with the Green Devils from Brown City for a chance to compete in tomorrow’s state softball final. Fowler brings a 28-8 record into this game and is rated Number 8. Brown City is 25-11 and rated Number 9. The winner of today’s game will be playing in its first State Softball Final!
Geoff Kimmerly from the MHSAA has provided us with some statistics about the players for each team.
Sydney Mabee has a .441 batting average; she has also scored 51 runs and stolen 28 bases. Maddie Hohne is hitting .467 with 30 runs scored at 30 RBI. She also pitches; she has a 17-7 won/lost record and a 3.38 ERA. She has struck out 199 batters so far this year. Sami Hayes is batting .409 and has scored 30 runs. She has also contributed a 7-3 record in the pitcher’s circle.
Chloe Hayes is batting .393 and has scored 41 runs. Linzee Mathews is batting .393 and has scored 31 runs. Alaina Roberts is batting .376 with 36 runs scored and 38 RBI. Callie Morse is hitting .349.
Fowler’s Saige Miller is a senior this year and has been a stellar player all four years of high school. She will be playing softball next year in the Big Ten for Maryland. In addition to her tremendous offensive statistics, she is an amazing fielder at shortstop with an incredible throwing arm. (I cover Fowler’s league, the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, more than any other league and have seen her play a number of games over the years.) Getting back to offensive statistics, she is batting .594 with 70 runs scored, ten home runs, 48 RBI and 23 stolen bases. It is not at all unusual for opposing teams to intentionally walk her.
Selena Stump is batting .493 with 48 runs scored and 37 RBI. She is also the team’s most frequent pitcher; she has a 17-5 won/lost record with a 3.51 ERA and 107 strikeouts. Addison Spicer has a .504 average as well as 37 runs scored, 17 doubles and 57 RBI. Kerigan Pung is batting .461 with 32 runs and 30 RBI. Rachel Wirth is batting .456 with 44 runs scored. Saige Miller’s freshman sister, Bristol Miller is batting .423 with 43 runs scored and 36 RBI.
Here are the starting lineups. Fowler won the coin toss and will be the home team.
BROWN CITY
Sydney Mabee ss
Sami Hayes lf
Maddie Hohne p
Chloe Hayes cf
Alaina Roberts 1b
Callie Morse c
Linzee Mathews 2b
Teryn Jacobs rf
Bailie Brown 3b
FOWLER
Selena Stump p
Kerigan Pung c
Saige Miller ss
Addy Spicer 3b
Bristol Miller 2b
Molly Schlak lf
Neelah O’Rourke rf
Payton Rademacher dp
Rachel Wirth cf
Ayana Canfield will play first base, but will not bat.
It is now time to review the events of this game through the somewhat alert eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to get a baseball or softball career going. He was showing some promise as a pitcher, but the baseball powers that be ruined everything when they ruled the Bleacher Denizen could not use a rocket launcher to add speed to his pitches. When the strikeouts dropped and opposing batting averages went up, the Bleacher Denizen’s playing time went down. Alas.
Sydney Mabee dropped a single into short right field to lead off the top of the first inning for Brown City. Sydney Mabee advanced to second base on a groundout to shortstop by Sami Hayes. Sydney Mabee advanced to third base on a single to right field by Maddie Hohne. Jordan Makedonsky entered the game as a courtesy runner for Maddie Hohne. Fowler Right Fielder Neelah O’Rourke got the ball back to the infield quickly to prevent the runner from scoring.
Fowler First Baseman Ayana Canfield reacted quickly to catch a bullet line drive off the bat of Chloe Hayes. Fowler Pitcher Selena Stump retired the next Green Devil batter on a grounder to shortstop to end the inning.
Brown City Pitcher Maddie Hohne retired the three Fowler batters in the bottom of the first inning on two strikeouts followed by a bouncer to second base.
Selena Stump retired the first two Brown City hitters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to the pitcher and a fly to right field. Teryn Jacobs singled to center field. The Green Devils made their third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.
Maddie Hohne retired the three Fowler batters in the bottom of the second inning on a grounder to the pitcher followed by two strikeouts.
Sydney Mabee blasted a home run over the right field fence to lead off the top of the third inning for Brown City. Selena Stump retired the next two Green Devil hitters on a liner to the pitcher and a fly to second base. Chloe Hayes singled to center field and went to second base when Alaina Roberts walked. Brown City made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.
Brown City scored one run in the top of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Neelah O’Rourke was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the third inning for Fowler. Maddie Hohne struck out the next Eagle hitter; Neelah O’Rourke stole second base on strike three. Maddie Hohne struck out the nexzt batter. Neelah O’Rourke advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Selena Stump singled to left field to drive Neelah O’Rourke home. Maddie Hohne struck out the next Fowler batter to end the inning.
Fowler scored one run in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1.
Selena Stump retired the Brown City leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning on a popup to the shortstop. Teryn Jacobs beat out an infield single. Rachel Wirth made a great running catch in senter field to secure the second out. Sydney Mabee hit a single to center field to send Teryn Jacobs to third base. Sami Hayes singled to right field to drive Teryn Jacobs home. Syney Mabee went to third base.
Maddie Hohne singled to left field to drive Sydney Mabee home as Sami Hayes advanced to second base. Jordyn Makedonsky entered the game as a courtesy runner for Maddie Hohne. Chloe Hayes tripled to deep center field to drive Sami Hayes and Jordyn Makedonsky home. Brown City made its third out on a fly to the pitcher.
Brown City scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead.
Maddie Hohne retired the three Fowler hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to right field, a popup to the catcher and a strikeout.
Selena Stumpetired Brown City’s leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning on a fly to left field. Linzee Mathews doubled to deep left field. She went to third base when Teryn Jacobs was safe at first base on an error. Linzee Mathews and Teryn Jacobs both scored when Bailee Brown was safe at first base on an error. Fowler was able to trap her off second base when she tried to advance on an overthrow. Brown City made its third out on a fly to second base.
Brown City scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to stretch its lead to 7-1.
Maddie Hohne retired the three Fowler batters in the bottom of the fifth inning on a strikeout, a grounder to second base and another strikeout.
Selena Stump struck out the Brown City leadoff batter in the top of the sixth inning. Maddie Hohne singled to right field. Jordyn Makedonsky came in as a courtesy runner for Maddie Hohne.
Neelah O’Rourke took over as pitcher for Fowler and Selena Stump went out to right field.
Selena Stump made a nice running catch in right field to get the second Brown City out. Alaina Roberts singled to center field. Rachel Wirth made an excellent throw to third base to get the runner trying to take an extra base for the third out.
Maddie Horne retired Fowler’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning on a roller to the pitcher. Selena Stump singled to left field and stole second base. Maddie Hohne struck out the next Eagle hitter. Saige Miller walked. Fowler made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base.
Brown City had a 7-1 lead entering the seventh inning.
Neelah O’Rourke retired the Brown City leadoff batter in the top of the seventh inning on a grounder to the shortstop. Ayana Canfield made a nice stretch at first base to secure the out. Linzee Mathews doubled to center field. Alexis Parr entered the game to run for Linzee Mathews. Teryn Jacobs was hit by a pitch. Alexis Parr went to third base and Teryn Jacobs to second on a groundout to second base by Bailie Brown. Fowler Shortstop Saige Miller made a nice play to grab a hot shot by Sydney Mabee and threw to first base to get the final out of the inning.
Maddie Hohne struck out Fowler’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Green Devil Left Fielder Sami Hayes made a long run to catch a fly ball for the second Eagle out. Maddie Hohne struck out the next Fowler batter to end the game.
Brown City will play Mendon in tomorrow’s state final game.
Selena Stump had two singles and one RBI for Fowler.
Selena Stump pitched five and one third innings for Fowler. Neelah O’Rourke pitched one and two thirds innings.
Sydney Mabee had a home run, two singles and one RBI for Brown City. Maddie Hohne had three singles and one RBI. Chloe Hayes had a triple, a single and two RBI. Linzee Matthews had two doubles. Teryn Jacobs had two singles. Smai Hayes had one single and one RBI. Alaina Roberts had one single. Bailie Brown had one RBI.
Maddie Hohne pitched a complete game for the Green Devils. She gave up one run and two hits while striking out thirteen batters.
For those of you who are interested, I also covered the earlier semifinal between Mendon and Hillman. Here is the play by play of that game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2026/06/12/hillman-vs-mendon-mhsaa-division-4-softball-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-june-12-2026-by-chuck-krafft/