Pewamo-Westphalia at Portland St. Patrick – – First Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 22, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, the Bleacher Denizen is at Portland St. Patrick’s softball field where the Shamrocks will host the Pirates of Pewamo-Westphalia in a doubleheader.

It’s a bit chilly today, but there are quite a few people here from both schools to cheer their team on!

Here are the starting lineups. St. Patrick is the home team, so Pewamo-Westphalia (hereafter abbreviated as P-W to save wear and tear on your Aging Bleacher Denizen’s fingers) will bat first.

PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA

Peyton Eklund cf

Brynn Bauer ss

Brooke Spitzley p

Ava Smith 2b

Taylor Nurenberg 1b

Makayla McRae rf

Reylee Thelen c

Elyse Thelen 3b

Summer Wirth lf

ST. PATRICK

Rylee Scheurer cf

Grace Rockey ss

Addie Scheurer 3b

Tori Sandborn p

Laynie Meredith lf

Hannah Weller c

Bella Russman rf

Megan Myers 1b

Lily Sandborn 2b

It is now time to review the events of this game through the aging lenses of an elderly Bleacher Denizen who was never very successful when he attempted to play baseball in the days of yore. However, he is happy to proclaim that opposing catchers as well as umpires loved him for the cooling breezes he generated with his flailing swings of the bat!

Peyton Eklund singled to right field to lead off the top of the first inning for P-W. Tori Sandborn retired the next Pirate hitter on a line drive to center field. Peyton Eklund stole second base. The next P-W hitter was out on a fly to second base. Ava Smith singled to center field to drive Peyton Eklund home with the game’s first run. When she tried to take second base on the throw home, Shamrock Catcher Hannah Weller made a fine throw to second base to record the third Pirate out.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored one run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first inning, Pirate Pitcher Brooke Spitzley knocked down a hot line drive off the bat of Rylee Scheurer and threw her out at first base to open the inning. Grace Rockey pounded a home run over the left field fence. Addie Scheurer grounded a single to center field and stole second base. Tori Sandborn doubled off the third baseman’s glove to drive in Addie Scheurer. Brooke Spitzley retired the next two Shamrock batters on a strikeout and a foul popup to first base to end the inning.

St. Patrick scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Tori Sandborn retired the three P-W hitters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to the shortstop, a strikeout and a grounder to second base.

Brooke Spitzley retired the three St. Patrick hitters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to the pitcher, a fly to left field where Summer Wirth made a fine running catch and a strikeout.

Elyse Thelen led off the top of the third inning by lining a single to left field and stole second base. Tori Sandborn struck out the next Pirate hitter. Elyse Thelen advanced to third base when the third strike was dropped although the Pirate hitter was retired at first base. Elyse Thelen scored on Peyton Eklund’s RBI groundout to the pitcher.

Brynn Bauer was safe at first base on an error and stole second base. Brynn Bauer took third base when Brooke Spitzley was safe at first base on an error. Brooke Spitzley stole second base. The Pirates made their third out on a grounder to third base.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored one run in the top of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Brooke Spitzley struck out the Shamrock leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning. Grace Rockey was safe at first base on a dropped popup and took second base when Addie Scheurer was safe at first base on an error. Grace Rockey went to third base and Addie Scheurer to second on a double steal. Tori Sandborn walked to load the bases.

Grace Rockey scored and Addie Scheurer advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly to center field by Laynie Meredith. Brooke Spitzley struck out the next batter to end the inning.

St. Patrick scored one run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Taylor Nurenberg was safe on an error to lead off the top of the fourth inning for P-W. Taylor Nurenberg advanced to second base on a single to left field by Makayla McRae. Taylor Nurenberg scored when Reylee Thelen was safe at first on an error. Makayla McRae advanced to third base on the play and Taylor Nurenberg took second base on the throw to home plate.

Elyse Thelen was safe at first base and the runner out at third base when Shamrock third baseman Addie Scheurer fielded a grounder and quickly tagged the runner trying to get back to the base. Reylee Thelen scored and Elyse Thelen advanced to third base when Summer Wirth was safe at at first base on an error. Summer Wirth advanced to second base on a throw home.

Tori Sandborn struck out the next Pirate batter. Elyse Thelen scored and Summer Wirth held at second base when Brynn Bauer singled on a shot off the shortstop’s glove. Brooke Spitzley walked to load the bases. Tori Sandborn retired the next hitter on a ground ball to first base to end the inning.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-3 lead.

Brooke Spitzley retired the three Shamrock batters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to center field, a fly to left field where Summer Wirth made an excellent catch running back toward the fence and a strikeout.

Tori Sandborn retired the P-W fifth inning leadoff batter on a fly to right field. Makayla McRae was hit by a pitch and stole second base. She took third base when Reylee Thelen singled to right field. Tori Sandborn threw a strike to first base to pick the runner off. Makayla McRae scored on a wild pitch. Elyse Thelen singled to right field. Shamrock Right Fielder Bella Russman made an alert play when she backed up on an errant pickoff throw and prevented the runner from advancing. Elyse Thelen stole second base. P-W made its final out of the inning on a line drive to second base.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 6-3.

Rylee Scheurer beat out in infield grounder to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for St. Patrick and took second base on a wild pitch. She held at second base when Grace Rockey blooped a single to center field. On a double steal, Rylee Scheurer went to third base and Grace Rockey to second base. Brooke Spitzley retired the next three hitters on a popup to the pitcher, a strikeout and a groundout to third base to prevent St. Patrick from scoring in the inning.

Peyton Eklund walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning for the Pirates. She went to second base when Brynn Bauer smacked a single off the third baseman’s glove. Peyton Eklund scored and Brynn Bauer advanced to second base when Brooke Spitzley lined a single to center field. Brynn Bauer scored and Brooke Spitzley advanced to second base on Ava Smith’s single to left field. Brooke Spitzley went to third base and Ava Smith to second on the throw home.

Bella Russman came in to pitch for St. Patrick. Tori Sandborn moved to left field and Laynie Meredith went to right field.

Brooke Spitzley scored and Ava Smith advanced to third base on Taylor Nurenberg’s bunt single. Taylor Nurenberg stole second base. Makayla McRae walked to load the bases. Ava Smith scored, Taylor Nurenberg took third base and Makayla McRae went to second base on Reylee Thelen’s RBI groundout to first base.

Taylor Nurenberg scored and Makayla McRae went to third base on a bunt single by Elyse Thelen. Elyse Thelen stole second base. Makayla McRae scored and Elyse Thelen advanced to third base on an RBI groundout to the shortstop by Summer Wirth. Peyton Eklund singled to left field to drive in Elyse Thelen. P-W made its final out of the inning on a grounder to third base.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to push its lead to 13-3.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Brooke Spitzley retired leadoff pinch hitter Olivia Rockey on a slow roller where P-W second baseman Ava Smith made a great play. Pinch hitter Macie Smith was out on a fly to the shortstop. St. Patrick made the final out of the inning on a popup to the shortstop.

As Pewamo-Westphalia had a ten run lead after six innings, the game was ended by the mercy rule and the Pirates had a 13-3 win.

Grace Rockey had a home run, a single and one RBI for St. Patrick. Tori Sandborn had a double and one RBI. Rylee Scheurer and Addie Scheurer each contributed a single. Laynie Meredith had one RBI.

Peyton Eklund and Ava Smith each had two singles and two RBI for Pewamo-Westphalia. Brynn Bauer and Elyse Thelen each had two singles and one RBI. Brooke Spitzley, Taylor Nurenberg and Reylee Thelen each had one single and one RBI. Makayla McRae had one single. Summer Wirth had one RBI.

Here is the play by play of the second game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/04/23/pewamo-westphalia-at-portland-st-patrick-second-game-of-softball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-22-2024-by-chuck-krafft/