Escanaba vs. Richmond – – MHSAA Division 2 Softball Semifinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 12, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, the Escanaba Eskymos will play the Richmond Blue Devils in the semifinals of the MHSAA Softball tournament. Your Bleacher Denizen is looking forward to a great team.
Escanaba enters this semifinal game with a 38-4 record and are rated Number 1 in Division 2. Per the MHSAA Softball Finals Preview, their top players are Pitcher Grayson LaMarche and Third Baseman Katey Lamb. During the tournament, they have beaten Number 3 Gaylord in the Regional Final and Number 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian in the quarterfinal. (The MHSAA said there were no hitting or pitching statistics from Escanaba.)
Richmond enters the game with a 30-7 record and is rated Number 7. Some top players include Ashley Stafford who is hitting .420 with 10 doubles and 32 RBI and Audrina Nader who is hitting .352 and has scored 25 runs. Kendall Nader is hitting .414 and Emma Bambrick is batting .365.
In the pitcher’s circle, Katie Shuboy has a 19-1 record with a 0.28 ERA and 125 strikeouts. She is also batting .348. Lilly Peitz has a 10-4 record with a 2.88 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 90 innings pitched.
Escanaba won the coin toss and will be the home team. Richmond will bat first. Here are the starting lineups.
RICHMOND
Kendall Nader 2b
Audrina Nader rf
Ashley Stafford c
Katie Shuboy p
Anna McKiernan 1b
Julia Rancillo lf
Emma Bambrick ss
Kate Teltow dp
Bella Nichol will play third base but not bat.
ESCANABA
Grayson LaMarche p
Clara Braun rf
Katey Lamb 3b
Carly Bowden c
McKenzie Engebretson 1b
Harlee Coolman 2b
Maddy Mott ss
Mary Kate Tourangeau dp
Addison Noblet cf
Breleiah Reinhart will play left field, but will not bat.
Escanaba Pitcher Grayson LaMarche struck out all three Richmond hitters in the top of the first inning.
Richmond Pitcher Katie Shuboy struck out the Escanaba leadoff batter in the top of the first inning. Clara Braun drew a walk. Katie Shuboy retired the next two Eskymo hitters on a strikeout and a fly to third base to end the inning.
Grayson LaMarche struck out the first two Blue Devil batters in the top of the third inning and got the third out on a roller to the pitcher.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Eskymo hitters in the second inning on a grounder to third base and two strikeouts.
After two full innnings the game was tied at 0-0.
Emma Bambrick walked to lead off the top of the third inning for the Blue Devils. Grayson LaMarche struck out the next two Richmond batters. Escanaba Third Baseman Katey Lamb made a great play coming in to field a good bunt by Kendall Nader and was able to throw her out at first base to end the inning.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Escanaba hitters in the bottom of the third inning on two strikeouts and a bouncer to the pitcher.
Grayson LaMarche struck out the Blue Devil leadoff batter in the top of the fourth inning. Escanaba Shortstop Maddy Mott made a fine play running back to catch a fly over her head to foil a bid for a single by Ashley Stafford. Grayson LaMarche struck out the next batter for the third out.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Eskymo hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a grounder to second base, a hot line drive to left field by Katey Lamb and a strikeout.
After four innings the game remained tied at 0-0.
Grayson LaMarche retired the first two Richmond batters in the top of the fifth inning on a groundout to shortstop and a strikeout. Emma Bambrick singled off the shortstop’s glove. The ball ricocheted to Second Baseman Harlee Coolman who just missed throwing her out at first base. Grayson LaMarch struck out the next Blue Devil batter to end the inning.
McKenzie Engebretson lined a single up the mifddle to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Escanaba. Abby Derkas entered the game to pinch run for McKenzie Engebretson. Richmond Catcher Ashley Stafford fired the ball to first base to pick the runner off. Katie Shuboy struck out the next Escanaba hitter. Blue Devil Left Fielder Julia Rancillo made a great running catch of a foul fly to secure the third out.
Kate Teltow was safe on a missed third strike to lead off the top of the sixth inning for Richmond. Kate Teltow went to second base when Kendall Nader beat out a bunt single that only traveled about five feet. Kate Teltow advanced to third base and Kendall Nader to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Audrina Nader. The next batter was out on a grounder to first base. Kate Teltow and Kendall Nader both scored on an errant throw.
Katie Shuboy drew a walk. Katherine Chrostowski entered the game as a courtesy runner for Katie Shuboy and went to second base on a single to left field by Anna McKiernan. Richmond made its third out of the inning on a fly to center field.
Richmond scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Eskymo batters in the bottom of the sixth inning on two strikeouts and a fly were Blue Devil Center Fielder Emmi Hildreth made a fine running catch to rob Grayson LaMarche of extra bases.
Emma Bambrick walked to lead off the top of the seventh inning for the Blue Devils. Grayson LaMarche retired the next three hitters on a strikeout, a fly to second base and a grounder to third base to end the inning.
Escanaba came to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 2-0.
Katie Shuboy retired the three Escanaba batters in the bottom of the seventh inning on a strikeout, a fly to right field and another strikeout to end the game.
Richmond won this game by the final score of 2-0 and will play Paw Paw in Saturday’s final game.
McKenzie Engebretson had a single for Escanaba. Clara Brown had a walk.
Grayson LaMarche pitched a great complete game where she allowed two unearned runs, three singles and three walks while striking out thirteen Blue Devil batters.
Emma Bambrick had a single and two walks for Richmond. Kendall Nader and Anna McKiernan each had a single. Katie Shuboy drew one walk.
Katie Shuboy pitched an excellent complete game shutout for Richmond. She allowed only one hit and one walk while striking out twelve Eskymo hitters.