Lansing Catholic at DeWitt – – Second Game of Softball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 21, 2026 – – by Chuck Krafft
Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen is at DeWitt High school to cover the Panthers’ softball doubleheader against Lansing Catholic’s Cougars. Here is the play by play of the opening game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2026/04/22/lansing-catholic-at-dewitt-first-game-of-softball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-21-2026-by-chuck-krafft/
As we wait for the next game to begin, I hope you will enjoy this lively instrumental cover of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” from my You Tube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1MxOus8t44
Here are the starting lineups. Even though we are on DeWitt’s softball field, Lansing Catholic will be the home team and bat last. DeWitt is visiting on the DeWitt softball field. The Bleacher Denizen’s mind boggles as he tries to organize this bit of logic. Fortunately, the players, umpires and coaches don’t seem to be fazed, so the game will be played!!
DEWITT
Ruby Puck ss
Tess Rypstra rf
Ellery Harshman cf
Kiley Zatkin 1b
Madeline Torrence 2b
Emily Agnew 3b
Caroline Chumbley p
Kelsie Queen dp
Mayah Walker lf
Mikayla Kent will catch, but will not bat.
LANSING CATHOLIC
Austynn Arellano cf
Avery Dunneback 2b
Taylor Dunneback 1b
Zoey Gruber 3b
Alyssa LaConte ss
Katy Howard p
Sydney Convey rf
Soryn Ellis dp
Ava Garcia lf
Leah LaConte will catch, but will not bat.
It’s time to look at the results of this game through the somewhat alert eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to have much of a baseball career. However, he loves knowing that opposing catchers and umpires delighting in the great, cooling breezes generated by the Bleacher Denizen’s flailing attempts to hit baseballs.
Katy Howard retired DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a groundout to third base. Tess Rypstra singled off the third baseman’s glove and went to second base when Ellery Harshman grounded a single up the middle. Tess Rypstra advanced to third base and Ellery Harshman to second base on a groundout to the pitcher by Kiley Zatkin. DeWitt made its final out of the inning on a line drive to second base.
Austin Arellano lined a single to right field to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Catholic. Caroline Chumbley retired the next Catholic hitter on a fly to left field. Taylor Dunneback doubled off the left field fence to drive Austin Arellano home. Zoe Gruber bounced a single to left field to move Taylor Dunneback to third base.
Zoey Gruber stole second base; when the throw tipped off a player’s glove, Taylor Dunneback raced home. Caroline Chumbley retired the next Catholic hitter on a fly to right field. Katy Howard singled to left field to drive Zoey Gruber home. Catholic made its third out on a fly to center field.
Catholic scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Katy Howard retired the DeWitt leadoff batter in the top of the second inning on a grounder to second base. Caroline Chumbley walked. London Montgomery entered the game as a courtesy runner for Caroline Chumbley and stole second base. Kelsie Queen drew a walk. Katy Howard struck out the next Panther hitter. London Montgomery scored and Kelsie Queen advanced to second base when Ruby Puck was safe at first base on an error.
Tess Rypstra doubled off the left field fence to drive Kelsie Queen and Ruby Puck home. Katy Howard struck out the next DeWitt batter to end the inning.
DeWitt scored three runs in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 3-3.
Soryn Ellis beat out a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the second inning for the Cougars. Caroline Chumbley retired the next Catholic hitter on a foul popup to the catcher and got the second out on a line drive to the shortstop. Avery Dunneback singled to left field and Soryn Ellis advanced to second base. Taylor Dunneback grounded a double to left field to drive Soryn Ellis home as Avery Dunneback advanced to third base. Catholic made its third out on a fly to right field.
Lansing Catholic scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-3 lead.
Kiley Zatkin walked to lead off the top of the third inning for DeWitt. Kiley Zatkin was out at second base and Madeline Torrence safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base. Katy Howard got the next Panther hitter to hit a ground ball to Shortstop Alyssa LaConte, who threw to Second Baseman Avery Dunneback to get the force at second base; Avery Dunneback relayed the ball to her twin, Taylor Dunneback at first base to complete the double play and end the inning.
Caroline Chumbley retired Catholic’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning on a grounder to second base. She struck out the next Cougar hitter. Sydney Convey singled to left field and advanced to second base on an error. Caroline Chumbley struck out the next hitter to end the inning.
Katy Howard retired the first two Panther hitters in the top of the fourth inning on a fly to center field and a soft liner to third base. Mayah Walker walked and stole second base. Ruby Puck walked.
Zoey Gruber moved to the pitcher’s circle for Lansing Catholic. Taylor Dunneback moved to catcher. Avery Dunneback moved to third base. Leah LaConte moved to second base and Katy Howard went to first base.
Mayah Walker scored and Ruby Puck advanced to third base when Tess Rypstra was safe at first base on an error. Zoey Gruber struck out the next Panther batter to end the inning.
DeWitt scored one run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
Tess Rypstra came in to pitch for DeWitt. London Montgomery went out to play right field.
Tess Rypstra retired the three Catholic hitters in the bottom of the fourth inning on a line drive to first base and two flies to the shortstop.
Zoey Gruber struck out DeWitt’s leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning. Madeline Torrence drew a walk. Zoey Gruber struck out the next Panther hitter. Madeline Torrence advanced to third base when Caroline Chumbley was safe at first base on an error. DeWitt made its third out on a bouncer to the pitcher.
Taylor Dunneback walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Catholic. Taylor Dunneback stole second base and advanced to third base when an error was made on the play. DeWitt Shortstop Ruby Puck made a fine running catch of a bid for a single by Zoey Gruber for Catholic’s first out. Taylor Dunneback scored on an RBI groundout by Alyssa LaConte.
Katy Howard drew a walk and went to second base on a wild pitch. Talia Franco entered the game as a pinch runner. Catholic made its final out on a grounder to third base.
Lansing Catholic scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-4 lead.
Zoey Gruber retired the three DeWitt batters in the top of the sixth inning on a strikeout and two flies to center field.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, a freak bounced pitch managed to somehow hit DeWitt Catcher Mikayla Kent in the throat between her chin and her chest protector. She needed a few minutes to recover from the shock and appeared to be okay after a wait. Fortunately, she escaped what could have been a devastating injury.
Because it was getting dark and because it would soon be too dark to play, the game was ended. Because DeWitt had had a chance to bat in the top of the sixth inning and Lansing Catholic had a 5-4 lead, the Cougars won the game.
Tess Rypstry had a single, a double and two RBI for DeWitt. Ellery Harshman had a single.
Carol Chumbley pitched three innings for DeWitt. She gave up four runs and struck out two batters. Tess Rypstra pitched two innings and gave up one unearned run.
Taylor Dunneback had two doubles and two RBI for Lansing Catholic. Katy Howard had a single and one RBI. Avery Dunneback, Zoey Gruber, Sydney Convey and Soryn Ellis each had one single. Alyssa LaConte had one RBI.
Katy Howard pitched three and two thirds innings for the Cougars. She gave up four runs, but only one was an earned run. She struck out two batters. Zoey Gruber pitched two and one third innings for Catholic and did not give up any runs. She struck out four batters.