Fowler at Laingsburg – – Softball – – First Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 24, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, the Bleacher Denizen will be at Laingsburg’s softball field to blog the Wolfpack’s softball doubleheader with Fowler. Today is the nicest day for softball so far this spring. Instead of worrying about being way too cold, it is warm and sunny today.
I had an errand to do in Frankenmuth. Even though I had plenty of time, I used the GPS to get me to Laingsburg from M-13. Sure enough, it showed me a faster way that I was not aware of. (I guess only amateurs get off on the Woodbury Road exit on I-69 and drive to Laingsburg High that way.)
Both Laingsburg Coach Jeff Cheadle and Fowler Coach Tim Andros were very helpful and provided me with these starting lineups! Fowler is the visiting team and will bat first. Here are the lineups!
FOWLER
Selena Stump 2b
Saige Miller ss
Paisley Hansen 1b
Addison Spicer 3b
Natalie Smith dp
Kerigan Pung c
Anna Andros p
Neelah O’Rourke rf
Chloe Feldpausch cf
Molly Schlak will play left field, but will not bat.
LAINGSBURG
Savvy Stirm 1b
Alayna Merrell cf
Bella Latuszek ss
Addy Buchin p
Peyton Starr 2b
Harper Strouse c
Makenna Johnston rf
Alaina Asher lf
JuJu Latuszek 3b
It is now time to look at the events of this game through the occasionally clear lenses of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who never had much of a baseball or softball career. He was showing some promise as an outfielder who could leap to intercept home runs before they got to the stands, but everything fell apart when the baseball/softball powers that be ruled that he could no longer use his pogo stick to rise up to catch the balls. Alas, some things are simply not meant to be!!
Laingsburg Pitcher Addy Buchin retired Fowler’s leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a bouncer to the pitcher. Saige Miller blasted a home run over the left/center field fence. Paisley Hansen singled to right field. Addison Spicer singled to left field and Paisley Hansen advanced to second base. Natalie Smith singled to left field to drive Paisley Hansen home as Addison Spicer moved up to second base. Kerrigan Pung lined a shot to Peyton Starr at second base, who quickly threw to first base to double off the runner.
Fowler scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Savvy Stirm singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Wolfpack and went to second base on a wild pitch. Fowler Pitcher Anna Andros struck out the next batter. Bella Latuszek doubled to deep left field to drive Savvy Stirm home. Bella Latuszek stole third base and came home on an RBI grounder to third base by Addy Buchin.
Peyton Starr and Harper Strouse walked. Makenna Johnston singled to right field to drive Peyton Starr in as Harper Strouse went to third base. Makenna Johnston (possibly a planned play) was picked off first base and got herself into a rundown. She was not tagged out until Harper Strouse scored from third base.
Laingsburg scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Anna Andros doubled off the left center field fence to lead off the top of the second inning for Fowler. Anna Andros advanced to third base when Neelah O’Rourke was safe on an error. Chloe Feldpausch beat out a bunt single. After she was called safe, the runner broke from third base. Laingsburg First Baseman Savvy Stirm whipped the ball out and the runner was tagged out. Neelah O’Rourke advanced to third base.
Fowler did a play similar to what Laingsburg did in the first inning as Chloe Feldpausch broke, drew a throw and got tagged out in a rundown as Neelah O’Rourke scored from third base. Laingsburg Pitcher Addy Buchin retired the next Eagle hitter on a bouncer to third base to end the inning.
Fowler scored one run in the top of the second inning to shave the Laingsburg lead to 4-3.
Alaina Asher singled to left field. Fowler Left Fielder Molly Schlak showed some great hands to keep the ball from getting by her as she held the batter to a single. Addison Spicer showed incredible quickness as she dove to catch the next Wolfpack batter’s bunt (that was not popped up) in the air. Alaina Asher advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Savvy Stirm singled to right field to drive Alaina Asher home.
Fowler Shortstop Saige Miller made a great play on a sharp bouncer up the middle off the bat of Alayna Merrell as she touched second base to force the runner and zipped a throw to first base to complete the Eagle double play to end the inning. (Saige Miller is an incredible athlete who moves, catches the ball and especially throws the ball at an extremely high level.)
Laingsburg scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to boost its lead to 5-3.
Saige Miller lined a single up the middle to lead off the top of the third inning for Fowler. She stole second base and scored on a double to right field by Paisley Hansen. Addison Spicer singled to left field. When the runner tried to score from second base, Wolfpack Keft Fielder Alaina Asher fired the ball to Shortstop Bella Latuszek, who threw home to retire the runner. Addison Spicer took second base on the throw home.
Natalie Smith singled to right field and Addison Spicer advanced to third base. The next Fowler hitter bounced the ball to Pitcher Addy Buchin, who alertly checked the runner at third base to hold her while she threw the hitter out at first base. Natalie Smith advanced to second base. Anna Andros walked to load the bases. Addy Buchin retired the neext batter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Fowler scored one run in the top of the third inning to trim the Laingsburg lead to 5-4.
Fowler Pitcher Anna Andros retired the three Wolfpack hitters in the bottom on the third inning on a foul popup to third base, a short fly to center field where Shortstop Saige Miller made a nice catch backpedaling to get the ball and a strikeout.
Addy Buchin struck out Fowler’s leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning. Selena Stump was safe at first base on an error. The next Eagle hitter was out on a fly to right field. Paisley Hansen singled to right field and Selena Stump moved up to second base. Addy Buchin retired the next batter on a soft fly to the pitcher.
Anna Andros retired the first two Laingsburg batters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a popup to second base and a fly to the shortstop. Alaina Asher walked. Laingsburg made its third out of the inning on a popup to the shortstop.
Natalie Smith bounced a single into center field to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Fowler. Molly Schlak pinch ran for Natalie Smith. Kerigan Pung singled to right field and Molly Schlak advanced to third base. Kerigan Pung took second base on a throw to third base. Addy Buchin retired the next batter on a foul bunted popup to the catcher.
Neelah O’Rourke beat out a bunt single. She earned an RBI (at least in my book) when Molly Schlak took off for home after the throw went to third base. Neelah O’Rourke advanced to second base on the throw home. Kerigan Pung went to third base. Chloe Feldpausch beat out a bunt single as Kerigan Pung held at third base and Neelah O’Rourke held at second.
With the bases loaded, Selena Stump bashed a double to center field. Kerigan Pung and Neelah O’Rourke scored as Chloe Feldpausch went to third base. Saige Miller was intentionally walked to load the bases. Chloe Feldpausch scored and Selena Stump took third base on a sacrifice fly to right field by Paisley Hansen. Addison Spicer lined a single to left field to drive Selena Stump home. Saige Miller went to second base. Addy Buchin struck out the next Eagle batter to end the inning.
Fowler scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 9-5 lead.
Savvy Stirm walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for the Wolfpack. Chloe Feldpausch made a fine running catch in center field to retire the next Laingsburg hitter. Bella Latuszek singled up the middle and Savvy Stirm advanced to third base. Bella Latuszek advanced to second base on the throw to third base. Addy Buchin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jaylynn Smith pinch ran for Addy Buchin.
Savvy Stirm scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Peyton Starr as Bella Latuszek moved up to third base and Addy Buchin to second base. Fowler Shortstop Saige Miller made a nice running catch of a popup that kept blowing away from her across the infield to get Laingsburg’s third out of the inning.
The Wolfpack scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to shave the Eagle lead to 9-6.
Addy Buchin retired the three Fowler hitters in the top of the sixth inning on a grounder to second base, a foul fly to first base and a strikeout.
Anna Andros struck out Laingsburg’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning. Alaina Asher singled to center field. Anna Andros struck out the next Wolfpack hitter. Savvy Stirm singled to right field. When the runner rounded second base a little too far, Fowler Right Fielder Neelah O’Rourke whipped the ball to second base and got her out.
Laingsburg changed pitchers for the top of the seventh inning. Peyton Starr went into pitch. Addy Buchin moved to first base, Alayna Merrell took over at second base and Savvy Stirm went to center field.
Peyton Starr struck out Fowler’s leadoff batter in the top of the seventh inning when a two strike bunt went foul and retired the next Eagle batter on a fly to second base. (Alayna Merrell had to fight off the sun to catch it.) Saige Miller beat out an infield single. Fowler made its final out of the inning on a bouncer to third base.
Fowler had a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Alayna Merrell lined a single to left field to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning for Laingsburg. Chloe Feldpausch made a valiant diving effort to catch the ball, but Bella Latuszek’s drive fell in for a single as Alayna Merrell advanced to second base. Addy Buchin singled to center field and Alayna Merrell took third base while Bella Latuszek went to second base. Jaylynn Smith went in to pinch run for Addy Buchin.
Peyton Starr doubled to left field to drive Alayna Merrell and Bella Latuszek home. Jaylynn Smith advanced to third base. Harper Strouse was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Makenna Johnston singled to center field. Jaylynn Smith scored the tying run and Peyton Starr slid in under the tag at home plate with the winning run.
Laingsburg scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win 10-9.
Saige Miller had a home run, two singles and one RBI for Fowler. Paisley Hansen had a double, two sinngles and two RBI. Addison Spicer and Natalie Smith each had three singles and one RBI. Selena Stump had a double and two RBI. Anna Andros had a double. Neelah O’Rourke had a single and one RBI. Kerigan Pung and Neelah O’Rourke each had a single.
Anna Andros pitched the complete game for Fowler and struck out four batters.
Bella Latuszek had a double, two singles and one RBI for Laingsburg. Makenna Johnson had two singles and three RBI. Savvy Stirm had two singles and one RBI. Alaina Asher had two singles. Peyton Starr had a double and three RBI. Alayna Merrell had a single.
Addy Buchin pitched six innings for Laingsburg and struck out three batters. Peyton Starr pitched one shutout inning and struck out one batter.
I also covered the second game of the double header. Here is the play by play of that game.