Saranac at Fulton – – Second Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 16, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, your Bleacher Denizen is at Fulton High School blogging a doubleheader; the Pirates are hosting the Red Hawks from Saranac. This is the second game of the doubleheader, so I have moved to the Fulton dugout to take notes for the second game. (Hopefully there will be no sharply hit foul balls to add to the bruising on your Bleacher Denizen’s thigh!)
Here is the play by play of the first game of the double header.
Here are the starting lineups for Game 2. Fulton will be the “visiting” team and bat first. (They always do this in softball doubleheaders. I do understand the logic although sometimes, your Bleacher Denizen starts his notes out wrong and has to fix them. The mind boggles!!
FULTON
Camryn Cunningham c
Rylee Patterson rf
Jaci Canfield lf
Kaya Canfield ss
Alayna Smolinski 1b
Kinder Hutchins 3b
Mia Leskela cf
Jill Gutting 2b
Aubrey Smolinski p
SARANAC
Laurel Lee lf
Irelynn Pachulski rf
Madie Murillo c
Delaney Reagan ss
Kayla Sterzick 2b
Abby Ferguson p
Natalie Tucker cf
Becca Hopkins dp
Leah Wernet 1b
Amelia Doll will play third base, but not bat.
It is now time to look at the results of this game through the aging eyes of an ancient Bleacher Denizen who never got very far in his baseball career. I was proud that all the catchers and umpires loved me because of the cooling breezes I made around home plate when I attempted to swing my bat at pitches!!
Camryn Cunningham beat out in infield single to lead off the top of the first inning for Fulton. Abby Ferguson struck out the next Fulton batter. Camryn Cunningham stole second base. Jaci Canfield hustled to first base and was safe when her popup landed safely; Camryn Cunningham held at second base. Camryn Cunningham advanced to third base and Jaci Canfield to second base on a passed ball.
Kaya Canfield walked to load the bases. Alayna Smolinski walked and forced Camryn Cunningham home with the game’s first run. Kinder Hutchins walked and forced Jaci Canfield home with Fulton’s second run of the inning. After Abby Ferguson struck out the next Pirate hitter, she picked the runner off third base to end the inning.
Fulton scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Laurel Lee singled up the middle to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Saranac and stole second base. Irelynn Pachulski was hit by a pitch. Madie Murillo walked to load the bases. Brianna Pung entered the game as a courtesy runner for Madie Murillo. Delaney Reagan walked and Laurel Lee was forced home with the game’s first run. Kayla Sterzick singled to left field to drive in Irelynn Pachulski as Brianna Pung advanced to third base and Delaney Reagan to second base.
Abby Ferguson was hit by a pitch; the bases remained loaded and Brianna Pung scored. Natalie Tucker was walked; Delaney Reagan scored. Becca Hopkins was hit by a pitch and Kayla Sterzick scored. Abby Ferguson scored, Natalie Tucker advanced to third base and Becca Hopkins to second base on a wild pitch. Leah Wernet was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Natalie Tucker scored, Becca Hopkins advanced to third base and Leah Wernet to second base on Laurel Lee’s RBI groundout to the shortstop. Irelynn Pachulski walked to load the bases for Saranac. On a wild pitch, Fulton Catcher Camryn Cunningham reacted quickly and threw out the runner trying to score from third base. Aubrey Smolinski struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Saranac scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an 8-2 lead.
Abby Ferguson struck out the Fulton leadoff hitter in the top of the second inning. Aubrey Smolinski was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base when Camryn Cunningham drew a walk. Abby Ferguson struck out the next Pirate batter. Fulton tried to score on a wild pitch, but Saranac Catcher Madie Murillo got to the ball quickly and threw the runner out at home to end the inning.
Delaney Reagan was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second inning for Saranac. She took second base when Kayla Sterzick walked. Lyla Stoutjesdyk walked to load the bases. Delaney Reagan scored, Kayla Sterzick advanced to third base and Lyle Stoutjesdyk to second base on an RBI groundout by Natalie Tucker. Brianna Pung walked to load the bases.
Aubrey Smolinski retired the next Red Hawk batter on a fly to the pitcher. Laurel Lee walked to force Kayla Sterzick home. Irelynn Pachulski singled to left field to drive in Lyla Stoutjesdyk as Brianna Pung advanced to third base and Laurel Lee to second base. Madie Murillo singled to drive in Brianna Pung and Laurel Lee. Irelynn Pachulski moved up to second base. Saranac made its final out of the inning on a grounder to the shortstop.
Saranac scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning to boost its lead to 13-2.
To lead off the third inning for Fulton, Jaci Canfield blasted a ball to the left field fence and scurried around the bases for an inside the park home run. Abby Ferguson struck out the next Pirate hitter. Alayna Smolinski singled to left field. Abby Ferguson struck out the next Pirate hitter and got the third Pirate out on a grounder to the shortstop.
Monika Alu entered the game to play right field for Fulton. Aubrey Smolinski moved to left field and Jaci Canfield came in to pitch.
Kayla Sterzick was safe at first base on an error to lead off the bottom of the third inning for Saranac. Lyla Stoutjesdyk blooped a single to center field and Kayla Sterzick advanced to second base. Jaci Canfield struck out the next Red Hawk hitter. Kayla Sterzick advanced to third base and Lyla Stoutjesdyk to second base on a passed ball. Brianna Pung singled to center field to drive in Kayla Sterzick and Lyla Stoutjesdyk.
Leah Wernet tripled to center field to drive in Brianna Pung. Laurel Lee singled to center field to drive Leah Wernet home. Rylee Patterson re-entered the game to play left field for Fulton. Jaci Canfield struck out the next batter; Laurel Lee stole second base on strike three. Abigail Janson singled to center field to drive in Laurel Lee.
This gave Saranac an 18-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning and the game was ended because of the mercy rule.
Kaya Canfield led the Fulton offense with her inside-the-park home run. Camryn Cunningham, Jaci Canfield and Aubrey Smolinski each had a single. Alayna Smolinski and Kinder Hutchins each had one RBI.
For Saranac, Leah Wernet had a triple and one RBI. Brianna Pung, Laurel Lee and Madie Murillo each had a single and two RBI. Abigail Janson, Irelynn Pachulski and Kayla Sterzick each had a single and one RBI. Lyla Stoutjesdyk had a single. Natalie Tucker had two RBI. Delaney Reagan, Abby Ferguson and Becca Hopkins each had one RBI.