Waverly vs Holt – – Hall of Fame Softball Classic Quarterfinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 23, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today is the second day of the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame’s annual Softball Classic. In the first of tonight’s quarterfinal games, the Waverly Warriors will play the Holt Rams.

While we wait for the game to start, we can listen to this novelty tune from my You Tube Channel. While I may be “Too Old to Cut the Mustard”, I hope you will enjoy the song (and this article, for that matter.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6GOgZAHqxI

Here are tonight’s starting lineups!

Holt will bat first.
HOLT RAMS:

Aliya McFadden 2b

Olivia Root cf

Sadie Laubenthal ss

Abby McCartney c

Kaelyn Rozycki 3b

Marlie Rehm dp

Eeva Luoma lf

Lola Knox 2b

Macey Cole rf

Kara Sandberg will pitch, but will not bat.

WAVERLY WARRIORS:

Dani Anzaldua 3b

Bella Rodriguez ss

Abbie DeLong cf

Lettie Sutton c

Mackenzie Price p

Cherie McCants rf

McKenna Bensinger lf

Neveah Larner 2b

Savanna Wade 1b

It is now time to look at the events of this article through the semi-polished lenses of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who always delighted opposing catchers and umpires with cooling breezes as he flailed away at pitches that he almost never hit.

Waverly Pitcher Mackenzie Price retired Holt’s leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a groundout to second base. Olivia Root walked and went to second base on a single by Sadie Laubenthal. Mackenzie Price struck out the next Ram batter. Kaelyn Rozycki singled down the right field line to drive in Olivia Root. Sadie Laubenthal advanced to third base.

Marlie Rehm singled to left field to drive in Sadie Laubenthal as Kaelyn Rozycki went to second base. Eeva Luoma singled to right center field to drive in Kaelyn Rozycki. Marlie Rehm moved to third base. Lola Knox was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mackenzie Price retired the next hitter on a fly to center field to end the inning.

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

Holt Pitcher Kara Sandberg retired the Waverly leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning on a foul popup to first base. Bella Rodriguez singled to right field. Abbie DeLong doubled to the center field fence and Bella Rodriguez went to third base. Lettie Sutton was intentionally walked and the bases were loaded. Mackenzie Price walked and Bella Rodriguez was forced home as Abbie DeLong moved to third base and Lettie Sutton to second. Kylie Froh entered the game as a courtesy runner for Mackenzie Price.

Kara Sandberg struck out the next Warrior hitter. Holt Shortstop Sadie Laubenthal made a nice play going back into short center field to catch a popup for the third out.

Waverly scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to trim the Holt lead to 3-1.

Neveah Larner came in to pitch for Waverly and Mackenzie Price took over at second base.

Neveah Larner retired the Holt second inning leadoff batter on a grounder to the shortstop. Olivia Root beat out an infield single. Sadie Laubenthal blasted a home run over the left-center field fence to drive in Olivia Root. Kaelyn Rozycki pounded a home run over the left field fence. Neveah Larner retired the next Ram hitter on a popup to first base to end the inning.

Holt scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 6-1 lead.

Kara Sandberg struck out the first two Waverly hitters in the bottom of the second inning. Dani Anzaldua drew a walk. Waverly made its third out on a fly to left field.

Eeva Luoma singled to left field to open the top of the third inning for Holt. The next hitter was out on a bunted fly to the pitcher. Eeva Luoma was out at second base and Macey Cole safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Lynaee Hill entered the game as a pinch runner for Macey Cole. Waverly Pitcher Neveah Larner retired the next batter on a fly to right field to end the inning.

Kara Sandberg retired the three Waverly batters in the bottom of the third inning on a fly to right field, a strikeout and a foul popup to third base.

Neveah Larner retired the first two Ram hitters in the top of the fourth inning on a grounder to the shortstop and a fly to deep right field. Abby McCartney singled to center field. Paeton Vandlen came in the game as a courtesy runner for Abby McCartney. Kaelyn Rozycki walked and Paeton Vandlen went to second base. Marlie Rehm singled to left field to drive Paeton Vandlen home. Kaelyn Rozycki went to second base. Kaelyn Rozycki scored and Marlie Rehm took second base when Eeva Luoma was safe at first base on an error. Lola Knox walked to load the bases.

Lynaee Hill walked to force Marlie Rehm home. Eeva Luoma went to third base and Lola Knox to second. Neveah Larner struck out the next Ram batter to end the inning.

Holt scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to push its lead to 9-1.

Cherie McCants hit a hard single off the shortstop’s glove to open the bottom of the fourth inning for Waverly. McKenna Bensinger cracked a home run over the center field fence; Cherie McCants also scored on the play. Neveah Larner singled up the middle. Ariana Nadeau entered the game as a courtesy runner for Neveah Larner.

Katie Lackman entered the game to pitch for Holt.

Savanna Wade was hit by a pitch and Ariana Nadeau advanced to second base. Ariana Nadeau took third base and Savanna Wade second base on a wild pitch. Ariana Nadeau scored on an over throw. Savanna Wade went to third base on a groundout to the shortstop by Dani Anzaldua. Savanna Wade scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Bella Rodriguez. Katie Lackman retired the next hitter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.

Waverly scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the Holt lead to 9-5.

Mackenzie Price went back to pitching and Neveah Larner went back to second base for Waverly.

Mackenzie Price retired the first two Ram batters in the top of the fifth inning on a fly to left field and a grounder to third base. Abby McCartney drew a walk. Paeton Vandlen entered the game as a courtesy runner for Abby McCartney. Kaelyn Rozicki singled to left field and Paeton Vandlen went to second base. Marlie Rehm walked to load the bases. Waverly Right Fielder Cherie McCants made a fine catch running in to record the third Ram out while holding them scoreless for the fifth inning.

Katie Lackman struck out Waverly’s fifth inning leadoff batter. (I do have to give some kudos to leadoff batter Lettie Sutton, who launched a long ball over the left field fence that fell barely foul.) Mackenzie Price beat out a short popup in front of home plate for a single. Cherie McCants singled to left field and Mackenzie Price went to second base.

McKenna Bensinger was safe at first and Mackenzie Price out at third on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Cherie McCants advanced to second base. Waverly made its third out on a line drive to left field.

Bella Rodriguez went back into left field and made a great catch of Lola Knox’ bid for a base hit to record Holt’s first out of the top of the sixth inning. Waverly flashed some more leather as Center Fielder Abbie DeLong made a long run and a diving catch of a drive by Lynaee Hill to record Holt’s second out. (That is one of the finest fielding plays I have ever seen in softball.) Holt made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

Savanna Wade walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for the Warriors. Dani Anzaldua doubled off the center field fence as Savanna Wade strolled into third base. Bella Rodriguez pounded a double to the center field fence to drive in Savanna Wade and Dani Anzaldua. Abbie DeLong lined a single to right field and Bella Rodriguez went to third base.

Kara Sandberg came back in to pitch for Holt. Abbie DeLong stole second base to put the tying run at second base with no out. Waverly made its first out of the inning on a soft fly to the shortstop. Mackenzie Price hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field. Bella Rodriguez scored and Abbie DeLong advanced to third base. Kara Sandberg struck out the next Warrior batter to end the inning.

Waverly scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to chop the Holt lead to 9-8. (Holt led 9-1 after the top of the fourth inning.)

Olivia Root was safe at first base on an error to lead off the top of the seventh inning for the Rams and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Sadie Laubenthal. Abby McCartney was out on a fly to deep center field. Warrior Center Fielder Abbie DeLong made a great throw to third base to hold the runner at second base.

Kaelyn Rozycki was intentionally walked. Holt made its third out on a fly to center field.

Holt Pitcher Kara Sandberg retired Waverly’s seventh inning leadoff batter on a grounder to third base. Neveah Larner singled to right field. Dani Anzaldua singled to left field and Neveah Larner went to second base. Bella Rodriguez drove a single to left field. Neveah Larner took third base and Dani Anzaldua went to second base.

The bases were loaded with two out and Waverly was down by one run in the bottom of the seventh. Kara Sandberg retired the next batter on a fly to shortstop to end the game.

Holt won 9-8 and will advance to the semifinal game against the winner of the next game between Leslie and Fowler.

Bella Rodriguez had a double, two singles and three RBI for Waverly. McKenna Bensinger had a home run and two RBI. Dani Anzaldua and Abbie DeLong each had a double and a single. Cherie McCants and Neveah Larner each had two singles. Mackenzie Price had a single and two RBI.

Kaelyn Rozycki had a home run, two singles and two RBI for Holt. Sadie Laubenthal had a home run, a single and one RBI. Marlie Rehm had two singles and two RBI. Eeva Luoma had two singles and one RBI. Olivia Root and Abby McCartney each had one single.

Here is a play by play of tonight’s second game between Leslie and Fowler. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/05/24/leslie-vs-fowler-hall-of-fame-softball-classic-quarterfinal-the-bleacher-denizen-may-23-2023-by-chuck-krafft/