Fowler at Laingsburg – – Softball – – Second Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 24, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
It is now time to watch the second game of the doublheader between the Fowler Eagles and the Laingsburg Wolfpack. I covered the first game which had an exciting ending. Here is a link to that article. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/04/25/fowler-at-laingsburg-softball-first-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-24-2025-by-chuck-krafft/
Between games, I met Laingsburg’s youngest fan, who is probably only a couple months old. I told her that it was her job to cry as loud as possible whenever the umpire called a Laingsburg player out, but I’m not completely sure she understood her assignment.
Anyway, I got to Laingsburg’s dugout where I had my first real conversation ever with Coach Cheadle as I got the lineups. He is a great guy; I can see why the girls play for him. (Of course, I should not leave out Coach Andros from Fowler who is always as supportive of me as he could be as well.)
Doubleheaders in baseball and softball always present your Bleacher Denizen with some logical struggles as the visitors morph into the home team and the home team morphs into the visiting team. (I think that this could be a great special effect in a movie!!) Anyway, while your Bleacher Denizen’s mind boggles, everyone else seems to get it so it is probably OK.
Here are the starting lineups. As said, even though we are playing in Laingsburg, the Wolfpack is the visiting team and will bat first.
LAINGSBURG
Savvy Stirm cf
Alayna Merrell 2b
Bella Latuszek ss
Addy Buchin 1b
Peyton Starr p
Harper Strouse c
Makenna Johnston rf
Alaina Asher lf
JuJu Matuszek 3b
FOWLER
Selena Stump p
Saige Miller ss
Paisley Hansen 1b
Addison Spicer 3b
Natalie Smith dp
Kerigan Pung 2b
Anna Andros lf
Neelah O’Rourke rf
Chloe Feldpausch cf
Molly Schlak will catch, but will not bat.
Let’s take a look at this game through the somewhat clear lens of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to accomplish much as a baseball player. It took him far too long to learn that after one caught a ball in the outfield, he needed to throw the ball back to the infield before he started celebrating. (Especially if it wasn’t a fly ball.) Alas, this gradually affected his playing time in a negative way.
Fowler Pitcher Selena Stump did not worry about your Bleacher Denizen’s attempts at playing baseball and retired Laingsburg’s first two batters in the top of the first inning on a grounder to second base and a fly to third base. Bella Latuszek singled to right field. Selena Stump retired the next Laingsburg batter on a bouncer to first base to end the inning.
Selena Stump singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Fowler. Saige Miller singled to right field and Selena Stump went to third base. The next Fowler hitter was out on a grounder to third base. Selena Stump held at third base as Saige Miller moved up to second base. Selena Stump scored and Saige Miller held at second base on a sacrifice fly to right field by Addison Spicer. Natalie Smith singled to right field and Saige Miller came home from second base. Laingsburg first baseman Addy Buchin made a great running catch of a foul fly to get Fowler’s third out.
Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Peyton Starr singled to right field to lead off the top of the second inning for Laingsburg. Jaylynn Smith went in as a courtesy runner for Peyton Starr (the pitcher). Selena Stump struck out the next Wolfpack batter. Makenna Johnston was safe at first base and Jaylynn Smith out at second base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher.
Alaina Asher singled to right field and Makenna Johnston went to second base. . Fowler Right Fielder Neelah O’Rourke quickly made a fine throw back to the infield to make Makenna Johnson hold at second base. Makenna Johnston went to third base and Alaina Asher to second base when JuJu Latuszek was safe at first base on an error. Laingsburg made its final out of the inning on a grounder to the shortstop.
Peyton Starr struck out Fowler’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning. Neelah O’Rourke beat out a bunt single and went to second base on a groundout to third base by Chloe Feldpausch. Selena Stump singled to left field and drove Neelah O’Rourke home. Selena Stump advanced to second base on the throw home. Savvy Stirm made a great diving effort in center field, but Saige Miller’s drive fell in for a double that drove Selena Stump home. Peyton Starr struck out the next Eagle batter to end the inning.
Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to extend its lead to 4-0.
Selena Stump retired the Laingsburg leadoff batter in the top of the third inning on a grounder to the pitcher. Bella Latuszek ripped a triple into the right field corner and scored on Abby Buchin’s RBI groundout to the pitcher. Peyton Starr was safe at second base on an error. Laingsburg made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.
Peyton Starr retired the three Fowler hitters in the bottom of the third inning on a popup to third base, a grounder to third base and a short fly where Laingsburg Shortstop Bella Latuszek made a great running catch.
Makenna Johnston singled off the pitcher’s glove to lead off the top of the fourth inning for Laingsburg. Alaina Asher singled to right field and Makenna Johnston went to second base. Makenna Johnston advanced to third base and Alaina Asher to second on a sacrifice bunt by JuJu Latuszek. Savvy Stirm lined a single to drive Makenna Johnston and Alaina Asher home. Savvy Stirm was out at second base and Alayna Merrell safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Laingsburg made its third out on a fly to right field.
Laingsburg scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to chop the Fowler lead to 4-3.
Peyton Starr retired the first two Fowler hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to the shortstop and a bunt to third base. Chloe Feldpausch beat out an infield single. Peyton Starr struck out the next Fowler batter to end the inning.
Selena Stump retired the three Laingsburg batters in the top of the fifth inning on a grounder to the shortstop, a strikeout and a fly to right field where Neelah O’Rourke made a running catch.
Saige Miller walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Fowler. Paisley Hansen boomed a double to right center field and Saige Miller scored from first base. Addison Spicer singled to center field and Saige Miller advanced to third base. Paisley Hansen scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Natalie Smith as Addison Spicer held at first base. Kerigan Pung was safe at first base and Addison Spicer out at second on a fielder’s choice grounder to second base. Peyton Starr retired the next Eagle batter on a bunt to the pitcher to end the inning.
Fowler scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to stretch its lead to 6-3.
Makenna Johnston walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning for Laingsburg. She went to second base on Alaina Asher’s single to left field. JuJu Matuszek singled to left field to drive in Makenna Johnston as Alaina Asher moved up to second base. With two on and no one out, Selena Stump retired the next three Wolfpack hitters on a popup to the shortstop, a grounder to third base and a fly to center field.
Laingsburg scored one run in the top of the sixth inning to trim the Fowler lead to 6-4.
Peyton Starr retired the three Fowler batters in the bottom of the sixth inning on a strikeout, a liner to second base and another strikeout.
Selena Stump retired the three Laingsburg hitters in the top of the seventh inning on a great running catch in center field by Chloe Feldpausch, another more routine fly to center field and a popup to the shortstop.
Fowler won this game 6-4 to earn a split in the doubleheader.
Alaina Asher had three singles for Laingsburg. Bella Latuszek had a triple and a single. Savvy Stirm had a single and two RBI. JuJu Latuszek had a single and one RBI. Peyton Starr and Makenna Johnston each contributed a single. Addy Buchin had one RBI.
Peyton Starr pitched the complete game for Laingsburg and struck out five batters.
Saige Miller had a single, a double and one RBI for Fowler. Selena Stump had two singles and one RBI. Paisley Hansen had a double and one RBI. Natalie Smith had a single and two RBI. Addison Spicer had a single and one RBI. Neelah O’Rourke and Chloe Feldpausch each had a single.
Selena Stump pitched the entire game for Fowler and struck out two batters.