Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame 2024 Softball All-Star Game – – North vs. West – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 19, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft

The 2024 softball season has been completed, but now it’s time for the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame All-Star Games. The first game will feature the North Team against the West Team.

It’s a hot one today in Lansing. Game time temperature is 89 degrees and the heat index is 95 degrees. Hopefully it won’t affect the game.

This game will feature the top graduating softball players from the Lansing Area. Here are the rosters.

WEST

Jayden Townsend – Portland

Kaidence Thomas – Ionia

Lily Federau – Lakewood

Lettie Sutton – Waverly

Audrey Hillard – Lakewood

Kamryn Perry – Ionia

Makayla Paul – Lansing Catholic Central

Abigail DeLong – Waverly

Maryssa Goble – Lakewood

Mary Poljan – Lansing Catholic Central

Celina McFarland – Perry

Isabella Strader – Olivet

Olivia Campbell from Grand Ledge and Jenna O’Bryant from Perry are injured and will not play.

NORTH

Kassi Buck – Bath

Kaitlyn Dickey – Bath

Makenna Smith – Fowler

Aubrie Schaibly – Bath

Alyssa McPherson – Ithaca

Zoe Chapin – Haslett

Faith Fisher – Ithaca

Abby Smith – Bath

Abby Johnson – Haslett

Bri Halfmann – Fowler

Alayna Smolinski – Fulton

Madison Bekkering – DeWitt

Malorie Pinkelman – Haslett

As this is an all-star game and the coaches are trying to play as many players in the field as possible, I won’t keep track of the defensive positioning except for the pitchers. If someone makes a great play, I will try to identify the player.

The North team will be the home team and the West team will bat first.

Your Bleacher Denizen sang the National Anthem and it was time for the game to begin.

Let’s take a look at the events of this All-Star game through the eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen who never amounted to much as a softball player. He misinterpreted the roaring cheers every time he swung at a baseball and missed. It turns out that the cheers were coming from opposing fans; by the time the Bleacher Denizen figured this out, he had earned a permanent seat on the bench.

Bri Halfmann from Fowler started pitching for the North team.

Jayden Townsend singled to right field to lead off the game for the West Team. She took second base on a wild pitch and went to third base on a groundout by Kaidence Thomas. Lily Federau singled off the shortstop’s glove to drive Jayden Townsend home. Lettie Sutton bashed a no doubt home run over the center field fence; Lily Federau also scored on the play.

Audrey Hilliard singled to right field. The next hitter lined out to the first baseman Malorie Pinkelman, who reacted quickly to catch the drive. Audrey Hilliard stole second base and came home on an RBI single to left field by Makayla Paul, who went to second base on a throw to the plate. Abigail DeLong singled up the middle to drive Makayla Paul home. Abigail DeLong stole second base. Bri Halfmann struck out the next North hitter to end the inning.

West scored five runs in the top of the first inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Isabella Strader from Olivet is the starting pitcher for the West team. She retired the three West batters in the first inning on a one hopper to second base, a popped up foul bunt and a fly to the pitcher.

Bri Halfmann retired the three North hitters in the top of the second inning on a grounder to third base, a strikeout and a grounder to the shortstop.

The West leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning, Kaitlyn Dickey, was safe at second base on an error. Madison Bekkering walked. Isabella Strader struck out the next batter. Malorie Pinkelman was safe at first base and Kaitlyn Dickey out at third base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher. The West team made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

With two full innings in the books, The West Team had a 5-0 lead.

Bri Halfmann retired the West leadoff batter in the top of the third inning on a grounder to third base. Kaidence Thomas beat out a squib single to the catcher and went to second base on a wild pitch. Lily Federau walked. Bri Halfmann struck out the next West batter. Kaidence Thomas went to third base and Lily Federau to second on a wild pitch. Bri Halfmann retired the next West batter on a liner to left field to end the inning.

Kaidence Thomas took over the pitching duties for the West team. She retired the three North hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a strikeout, a grounder to third base and a fly to third base.

Bri Halfmann retired the West leadoff hitter in the top of the fourth inning on a grounder to the pitcher. Makayla Paul walked. North Center Fielder Faith Fisher went to her knees to catch a bid for a bloop single by Abigail DeLong. The West team made its third out on a bouncer to third base.

Alayna Smolinski singed to center field to lead off the North Fourth. (Also known as the bottom of the fourth inning. West Catcher Lily Federau snapped a great throw to first base and almost picked off the runner. West Pitcher Kaidence Thomas retired the next three hitters on a fly to right field and two strikeouts to end the inning.

After four full innings, North’s lead was at 5-0.

Mary Poljan walked to lead off the top of the fifth inning for the North team. Bri Halfmann retired the next North hitter on a popup to second base. Isabella Strader doubled to center to drive Mary Poljan home. Bri Halfmann retired the next two West hitters on a fly to right field where Abby Johnson made a nice running, scooping catch and a grounder to the pitcher.

West scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to boost its lead to 6-0.

Isabella Strader went back to the pitcher’s circle for West in the bottom of the fifth inning. She retired North’s leadoff batter on a fly to left field. Kaitlyn Dickey scorched a double down the left field line. Kaitlyn Dickey scored from second base when Madison Bekkering was safe at first base on an error. The baserunner was picked off first base by West Catcher Lettie Sutton. Center Fielder Abigail DeLong made a nice running catch to record the third North out.

North scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the West lead to 6-1.

Lily Federau walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning for the West team and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Lettie Sutton walked. Audrey Hillard doubled over the left fielder’s head to drive Lily Federau home. Lettie Sutton advanced to third base. Lettie Sutton scored on an RBI groundout to the shortstop by Kamryn Perry and Audrey HIllard went to third base.

Bri Halfmann struck out the next West batter. Abigail DeLong swatted a two run home run over the right field fence; Audrey Hillard scored on the play. Maryssa Goble singled on a fly that fell between two North infielders. Mary Poljan singled sharply to left field to push Maryssa Goble to third base. Mary Poljan took second base on a throw to first base. Celina McFarland singled up the middle to drive in Maryssa Goble and Mary Poljan. Celina McFarland scored on a series of overthrows.

Isabella Strader lined a single to center field. Bri Halfmann retired the net West hitter on a grounder to the pitcher.

West scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to boost its lead to 13-1.

Isabella Strader retired the North leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning on a popup to the shortstop. Faith Fisher lined a single to center field. West Catcher Lettie Sutton fired the ball to second base to catch the runner stealing. North made its third out in the bottom of the sixth inning on a liner to the shortstop.

Bri Halfmann retired the three West hitters in the top of the seventh inning on a grounder to shortstop, a fly to left field and a roller to first base.

Kaidence Thomas took over the pitching duties for the West team in the bottom of the seventh inning. She retired the three North hitters in the bottom of the seventh inning on a strikeout, a fly to center field and a foul popup to first game.

The North Team won the first All-Star game of the evening by a 13-1 score.

Kaitlyn Dickey had a double for the North Team. Faith Fisher and Alayna Smolinski each had a single. Bri Halfmann pitched the entire game for North.

Abigail DeLong had a home run, a single and two RBI for West. Lettie Sutton had a home run and two RBI. Isabella Strader and Audrey Hillard each had a double, a single and one RBI. Kaidence Thomas had two singles. Celina McFarland had a single and two RBI. Lily Federau had a single and one RBI. Jayden Townsend, Makayla Paul, Maryssa Goble and Mary Poljan each had one single.

Isabella Strader pitched for innings for the West team and gave up one run. Kaidence Thomas pitched three shutout innings.

Here is the play by play from the South vs. East game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/06/20/greater-lansing-area-sports-hall-of-fame-2024-softball-all-star-game-east-vs-south-the-bleacher-denizen-june-19-2024-by-chuck-krafft/