Perry at Pewamo-Westphalia – – Softball – – Second Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 14, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Your Bleacher Denizen has made the trek to Pewamo-Westphalia’s softball field to record the hometown Pirates’ doubleheader against Perry. Here is the play by play of the opening game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/04/15/perry-at-pewamo-westphalia-softball-first-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-14-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

It’s an extremely windy day for softball today. I thought the fielders for both teams did an excellent job of dealing with the windblown fly balls and popups in the first game. Your Bleacher Denizen made a trip to the car to grab an extra sweater and got ready to take notes for Game Two! Even though it’s not cold (without the wind) and I’m sitting in the Pewamo-Westphalia softball press box, the wind has made the second sweater necessary!

As is the current custom, in the second game, even though we are playing on Pewamo-Westphalia’s field, the Pirates will be the visiting team batting first and Perry will bat last. (Your Bleacher Denizen’s mind boggles, but I suppose that is not an altogether infrequent occurrence.)

Here are the starting lineups!

PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA

Summer Wirth cf

Payton Eklund p

Reylee Thelen c

Taylor Nurenberg ss

Makayla McRae rf

Maddy Weber lf

Elyse Thelen 3b

Alivia Miller 1b

Ella Thelen 2b

PERRY

Teagan Hallock cf

Sara Austin p

Madison Ralston ss

Alivia Davis 1b

Bella Hamel 3b

Grace Spiess lf

Ava Positano c

Lila Stockenauer dp

Ryleigh Allen 2b

Emma Winans will play right field, but will not bat.

Let’s take a look at the events of this second game through the occasionally alert eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who never had much or a baseball or softball career. Everything fell apart when the Baseball Powers that Be ruled that the Bleacher Denizen could no longer use a catapult to get his throws from the outfield to the infield. When runners started to score on bloop singles twenty feet into the outfield, your Bleacher Denizen’s playing time was cut severely!!

Sara Austin, who struck out twenty Pirate batters in the opening game struck out all three Pirate batters in the top of the first inning of this game. (Your Bleacher Denizen is surely glad he does not have to try to get his bat on the ball when Sara Austin is pitching!!)

Teagan Hallock walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Perry and stole second base. Teagan Hallock held at second base when Sara Austin was safe at first base on an error. Madison Ralston walked to load the bases. Teagan Hallock was out at home when Alivia Davis was safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher. When an error was made trying to turn a double play, Sara Austin scored and Madison Ralston went to third base.

Madison Ralston scored and Alivia Davis went to second base on a passed ball. Bella Hamel drew a walk. Peyton Eklund struck out the next Rambler batter. Alivia Davis advanced to third base and Bella Hamel to second base on a wild pitch. Ava Positano walked to load the bases. Lila Steckenauer walked to force Alivia Davis home as Bella Hamel went to third base and Ava Positano went to second. Jessica Polhemus came in to pinch run for Lila Steckenauer. Peyton Eklund retired the next Rambler batter on a grounder to third base to end the inning.

Perry scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Taylor Nurenberg walked to lead off the top of the second inning for P-W. She stole second base. Makayla McRae blasted a triple to right field to drive Taylor Nurenberg home. Sara Austin struck out the next Pirate hitter. Makayla McRae scored when Elyse Thelen was safe when an error was made on her sacrifice bunt. Sara Austin struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

Pewamo-Westphalia scored two runs in the top of the second inning to trim the Perry lead to 3-2.

Peyton Eklund retired the Perry leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning on a grounder to third base. Makayla McRae made a fine running catch in right field for P-W to record the second Perry out of the inning. Madison Ralston singled off the third baseman’s glove and stole second base. Alivia Davis singled up the middle and drove Madison Ralston in. Peyton Eklund retired the next batter on a popup to the pitcher to end the inning.

Perry scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to boost its lead to 4-2.

Sara Austin retired the three P-W third inning batters on a fly to first base and two strikeouts.

Peyton Eklund retired Perry’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning on a grounder to third base. Ava Positano was safe at first base on an error. Peyton Eklund retired the next two Rambler hitters on a grounder to shortstop and a grounder to third base.

Jessica Polhemus came into the game to play third base for Perry. Bella Hamel moved from third base to shortstop. Madison Ralston moved from shortstop to catcher.

Sara Austin struck out the Pirate leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning and got the next batter out on a grounder to second base. Right Fielder Emma Winans made a nice diving catch to record the third Pirate out.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Peyton Eklund retired the Rambler leadoff batter on a grounder to the shortstop. Sara Austin singled up the middle. Reylee Thelen made a fine throw to second base to catch the runner trying to steal. Perry made its final out of the fourth inning on a fly to left field.

After four innings, Perry continued to hold a 4-2 lead.

Sara Austin retired the three P-W hitters in the top of the fifth inning on a bunt to the pitcher and two strikeouts.

Alivia Davis walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Perry. Peyton Eklund retired the next Rambler hitter on a fly to right field. Grace Spiess was safe at first base and Alivia Davis out at second base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Makayla McRae did a fine job backing up an errant throw in right field to hold Grace Spiess at first base. Ava Positano drew a walk. Perry made its final out of the inning on a fly to right field.

Sara Austin retired the three P-W sixth inning hitters on a fly to the shortstop, a strikeout and a fly to second base.

Peyton Eklund struck out the Perry leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning and retired the next batter on a groundout to the shortstop. Sara Austin singled up the middle. Peyton Eklund struck out the next batter to end the inning.

In the seventh and final inning, Sara Austin retired the leadoff batter when she reacted quickly to grab a bouncer up the middle and throw to first base for the out. She then struck out the next two Pirate hitters to end the game.

Perry completed its sweep of the doubleheader by winning the final game 4-2.

Makayla McRae had a double and one RBI for Pewamo-Westphalia. Elyse Thelen also contributed one RBI.

Peyton Eklund pitched a complete game. She gave up four runs and four hits; she held Perry scoreless for the final four innings. She struck out three Rambler hitters.

Sara Austin had two singles for Perry. Alivia Davis had a single and one RBI. Madison Ralston had one single. Lila Stockenauer had one RBI.

Sara Austin pitched a complete game for Perry. She gave up two runs and one hit while striking out fourteen batters.