Portland St. Patrick at Saranac – – Baseball – – First Game of Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 5, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, your Bleacher Denizen’s journey was intended to take him to Saranac to cover a softball game. However, we were only half right as the BleacherDenizenMobile made its way to Saranac, but because of yesterday’s rain, the people at Saranac were not able to have the softball field ready for today’s game. However, the baseball field was playable, so your Bleacher Denizen has not really wasted his time and gas.

Today, he will cover the baseball games between the Saranac Red Hawks and the visiting Shamrocks from Portland St. Patrick. Next Monday, I believe the softball teams will be playing and my plan is to come to Saranac to watch the Saranac and St. Patrick softball teams play then.

While we wait for the game to start, I hope you will enjoy this original tune about an office worker who is having a combination of spring fever and Walter Mitty fantasies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTdeYRUEOkc

Both Saranac Coach Jon Olsen and St. Patrick Coach Bryan Scheurer were really helpful and let me copy down their starting lineups (as well as letting me sit in their dugout.) The weather is a bit chilly today, but really not too cold.

Here are the starting lineups. St. Patrick is the visiting team and will bat first.

ST. PATRICK

Jerryd Scheurer ss

Charlie Thelen c

Brady Leonard p

Brayden Simon 2b

Logan Howe 3b

Tyler Thelen 1b

Simon White lf

T.J. Chamberlain rf

Nathan Fears cf

SARANAC

Tyler Elliott 2b

Chase Stephens cf

Warren Hill p

Grady Proctor 3b

Logan Haller c

Cody Whipple ss

Brady Klahn 1b

John Sterzick lf

It’s now time to take a look at the events of this game through the eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to get his baseball career off the ground. There was some hope, but when the baseball powers that be decided not to grant the Bleacher Denizen ten strikes per at bat, your Bleacher Denizen lacked the athletic ability to try to compete.

Jerryd Scheurer walked to lead off the top of the first inning for St. Patrick and stole second. He advanced to third base on a groundout to second base by Charlie Thelen. Brady Leonard walked and stole second. Saranac Catcher Logan Haller made a great diving attempt at a foul popup, but was not able to catch it. Saranac Pitcher Warren Hill struck out the next two Shamrock hitters to end the inning.

St. Patrick Pitcher Brady Leonard retired the three Saranac batters in the bottom of the first inning on a strikeout, a groundout to second base and another strikeout.

Tyler Thelen walked to lead off the top of the second inning for St. Patrick and advanced to second base when Simon White was safe at first base on an error. Warren Hill got the next batter out on a foul popup to the catcher and struck out the next Shamrock hitter. Jerryd Scheurer was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Charlie Thelen pounded a grand slam home run over the right field fence; Tyler Thelen, Simon White and Jerryd Scheurer all scored along with Charlie Thelen. Warren Hill retired the next Shamrock hitter on a fly to second base to end the inning.

St. Patrick scored four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead.

St. Patrick Left Fielder Simon White went back into deep left field to catch a fly off the bat of Grady Proctor to record Saranac’s first out in the bottom of the second inning. Logan Haller walked. Brady Leonard struck out the next Red Hawk hitter and Charlie Thelen fired the ball to second base on strike three to catch the runner stealing to end the inning.

Brayden Simon doubled to deep left field to lead off the top of the third inning for the Shamrocks. Logan Howe doubled to right field to drive Brayden Simon home. Logan Howe advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Thelen and scored when Simon White was safe at first on an error on his bunt. Simon White took second base when T.J. Chamberlain was safe on an error. Simon White advanced to third base and T.J. Chamberlain to second base on a wild pitch. Nathan Fears walked to load the bases.

Jerryd Scheurer doubled to left field to drive Simon White and T.J. Chamberlain home as Nathan Fears went to third base. Charlie Thelen walked to load the bases. Hudson King entered the game as a courtesy runner for Charlie Thelen.

John Sterzick came in from left field to pitch and Warren Hill took his place in center field.

Brady Leonard hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive Nathan Fears home; Jerryd Scheurer advanced to third base. Jerryd Scheurer scored and Hudson King advanced to second base when Brayden Simon was safe at first base on an error. St. Patrick made its final out of the third inning on a grounder to second base.

St. Patrick scored six runs in the top of the third inning to boost its lead to 10-0.

Brady Leonard retired the three Red Hawk batters in the bottom of the third inning on a strikeout, a grounder to second base and another strikeout.

Tyler Thelen singled up the middle to lead off the top of the fourth inning for St. Patrick. Sean Fedewa entered the game to pinch run for Tyler Thelen. Simon White was hit by a pitch and Sean Fedewa advanced to second base. John Sterzick retired the next Shamrock batter on a foul popup to third base. Sean Fedewa advanced to third base and Simon White to second on a passed ball.

Nathan Fears singled to right field. Sean Fedewa scored and Simon White took third base. Jerryd Scheurer singled up the middle and drove Simon White home. Nathan Fears advanced to second base. Charlie Thelen singled to center field. Red Hawk Center Fielder Chase Stevens made a great throw back to the infield to prevent St. Patrick from scoring as Nathan Fears held up at third base and Jerryd Scheurer at second base.

Nathan Fears scored and Jerryd Scheurer advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly to left field by Brady Leonard. St. Patrick made its final out of the inning on a grounder to third base. Saranac First Baseman Brady Klahn made a nice pickup to make sure the out was made.

St. Patrick scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 13-0.

Tyler Thelen came in to pitch for St. Patrick. Brayden Simon moved to first base, Nathan Fears went to second base and Brady Leonard moved to center field.

Tyler Thelen retired the three Red Hawk batters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a fly to deep right field where T.J. Chamberlain made a fine catch, a grounder to third base and a line drive off the bat of Warren Hill to shortstop.

Gabe Bangert went in to pitch for Saranac.

Gabe Bangert retired the first two Shamrock hitters in the top of the fifth inning on a line drive to the mound and a grounder to second base. Ben White walked. St. Patrick made its final out of the inning on a fly to center field.

Tyler Thelen retired the three Red Hawk batters in the bottom of the fifth inning on a groundout to second base, a fly to left field and a grounder to the shortstop.

Because St. Patrick’s lead was 13-0 after five full innings, the mercy rule was invoked and St. Patrick won the game.

Warren Hill pitched 2 1/3 innings for Saranac. John Sterzick pitched 1 2/3 innings. Gabe Bangert pitched one shutout inning.

Charlie Thelen had a grand slam home run, a single and four RBI for St. Patrick. Jerryd Scheurer had a double, a single and three RBI. Logan Howe had a double and one RBI. Brayden Simon had a double. Nathan Fears had a single and one RBI. Tyler Thelen had a single. Brady Leonard had two RBI. Simon White had one RBI.

Brady Leonard pitched three shutout innings and struck out three batters while giving up no hits. Tyler Thelen pitched two innings and retired all six of the Red Hawk batters he faced.

I also covered the second game of this doubleheader. Here is the play by play of Game Two! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/05/06/portland-st-patrick-at-saranac-baseball-second-game-of-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-may-5-2025-by-chuck-krafft/