Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame All-Star Classic – – North vs. South – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 21, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

Now that our varsity softball season is complete, it is time to play the Senior All-Star games. While these players are graduating seniors, hopefully they are not quite as “senior” as your Bleacher Denizen who notes that he’s “Too Old to Cut the Mustard” in this video from his You Tube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6GOgZAHqxI

Here are the rosters.

NORTH:

Mackenzie Lowe, St. Johns

Madison Short, Mason

Kendall White, St. Johns

Daryona Terry, Holt

Kyra Shadduck, DeWitt

Gabby Brya, DeWitt

Kaidyn Foerster, St. Johns

Aliya McFadden, Holt

Abby McCartney, Holt

Madilyn Johnson, Bath

Olivia Black, Pewamo-Westphalia

Annabelle Klusack, Bath

Megan Scaccia, DeWitt

Kara Sandberg, Holt

The North Team will be coached by Kim Reichard from Holt.

SOUTH:

Zoe Alvarez, Eaton Rapids

Sarah Hawkins, Dansville

Kourtney Mack, Dansville

Annabelle DiMaggio, East Lansing

Naomi Sowa, East Lansing

Kayleigh DeShais, Eaton Rapids

Ella Patrick, Eaton Rapids

Makayla Surline, Stockbridge

Mackenzie Doerner, Morrice

Flora Steien, Eaton Rapids

Bailey Bartrum, Stockbridge

Cadence McGuirt, Eaton Rapids

Gracie Taylor, Dansville

Hailey DePeel, Eaton Rapids

Scott Warriner from Eaton Rapids will coach the South Team. I learned today that Coach Warriner is retiring and this will be the final softball game he coaches.

In today’s game, because it is an All-Star team, every player attending will be placed in the batting order. Nine people at a time will play in the field. As I type the play by play, because of all the probably changes, I will usually only name the pitcher as far as defense goes unless someone flashes some major leather.

Bob Every, the Hall of Fame Director, welcomed the crowd to the game and then released a balloon honoring the spirit of people who have been in our lives in the past that are still watching down on us.

Brett Kaschinske, the City of Lansing Parks Director, gave some welcoming remarks. He asked that the players continue to participate in softball and give back to the game before he threw out a pretty strong first pitch!! Your Bleacher Denizen sang the National Anthem.

It is now time to look at the results of this game through the occasionally clear lenses of an aging Bleacher Denizen whose career was severely limited after the Softball and Baseball Powers that be refused to allow him to use a bazooka to get his throws into the infield. (It can take for ever to run in from the warning track to hand the ball to an infielder.)

North is the home team and South will bat first.

Kyra Shadduck started out pitching for the North. She retired the first three South hitters on a strikeout, a groundout to the shortstop and another strikeout.

In the bottom of the first inning, Bailey Bartrum opened in the pitcher’s circle for the South team. North leadoff batter Mackenzie Lowe was hit by a pitch. Mackenzie Lowe was out at second base and Madison Short safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Madison Short blooped a single to center field and Madison Short advanced to second base. Bailey Bartrum struck out the next hitter and retired the subsequent hitter on a fly to left field to end the inning.

North Pitcher Kyra Shadduck struck out all three South hitters in the top of the second inning.

South Pitcher Bailey Bartrum retired the three North hitters in the bottom of the second inning on a bouncer to third base and two strikeouts.

With two full innings in the books, the game was tied at 0-0.

Kyra Shadduck retired the South leadoff batter in the top of the third inning on a popup to the shortstop. Flora Steien singled to right field. Kyra Shadduck struck out the next two South hitters to end the inning.

Kayleigh DeShais took over the pitching duties for the South team.

Kayleigh DeShais retired the first two North hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a foul fly to right field and a strikeout. Olivia Black drilled a single up the middle. The next North batter was out on a one hopper to the shortstop to end the inning.

Kyra Shadduck struck out the South leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning. Ella Patrick lined a single to right field and went to second base when Annabelle DiMaggio walked. Zoe Alvarez doubled to left field to drive Ella Patrick home as Annabelle DiMaggio took third base.

Cadence McGuirt walked to load the bases. Kyra Shadduck struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

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

Kayleigh DeShais retired the three North batters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a strikeout, a bouncer to second base and a strikeout.

Kara Sandberg came in to pitch for the North team.

Kara Sandberg retired the first two South hitters in the top of the fifth inning on a strikeout and a fly to the shortstop. Flora Steien lined a single to center field. Kara Sandberg struck out the next South batter to end the inning.

Madison Short blasted a home run over the left field fence to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for the North team. Kayleigh DeShais struck out the next two North batters. Kyra Shadduck hit a sharp single off the pitcher’s foot. Kara Shadduck advanced to second base when Gabbie Brya was safe at first on an error. Kaidyn Foerster belted a triple to right field to drive in Kyra Shadduck and Gabbie Brya. Kayleigh DeShais retired the next batter on a fly to right field to end the inning.

The North team scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead.

Kara Sandberg struck out the first two South hitters in the top of the sixth inning. Kayleigh DeShais walked and was replaced by courtesy runner Makayla Surline at first base. Makayla Surline stole second base. Kara Sandberg struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Bailey Bartrum took over the pitching duties for the South team.

Abby McCartney was safe on at second on an error to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning for the North team. Bailey Bartrum retired the next hitter on a fly to left field. Olivia Black was hit by a pitch. Bailey Bartrum struck out the next batter. Megan Scaccia banged a single up the middle to drive in Abby McCartney. Olivia Black advanced to second base. Bailey Bartrum struck out the next batter to record the third out.

North scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend its lead to 4-1.

Kara Sandberg struck out the first two South batters in the top of the seventh inning. Cadence McGuirt blasted a home run over the left-center field fence. Kara Sandberg retired the next batter on a bouncer to the shortstop to end the inning.

North won the All-Star game by a 4-2 score.

Cadence McGuirt had a home run and one RBI for the South team. Zoe Alvarez had a double and one RBI. Ella Patrick, Flora Steien and Hailey DePeel each had a single.

Bailey Bartrum pitched three innings for the South team and struck out five batters while giving up one run. Kayleigh DeShais pitched three innings. She struck out five North batters while giving up three runs.

Madison Short had a home run and one RBI for Mason. Kaidyn Foerster had a triple and two RBI. Megan Scaccia had a single and one RBI. Kendall White, Kyra Shadduck and Olivia Black each had one single.

Kyra Shadduck pitched four innings for the North team. She gave up one run and struck out ten South hitters. Kara Sandberg pitched three innings while giving up one run and striking out seven batters.

And here is the play by play blog of the East/West game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/06/22/greater-lansing-area-sports-hall-of-fame-all-star-classic-east-vs-west-the-bleacher-denizen-june-21-2023-by-chuck-krafft/

With that, the Bleacher Denizen is signing off for two months until football season opens on August 25.