Aspirations High as New Coach Leads Paw Paw Lineup Coming Off Run to 2025 Finals
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
March 31, 2026
PAW PAW — When it comes to inheriting a team, first-year softball coach Allison Frisinger hit the jackpot.
Paw Paw made school history last year, reaching the MHSAA Division 2 Softball Final for the first time — and with no seniors on the team.
With everyone back this year, the Red Wolves have some lofty goals and kicked off the season with a 6-0 record heading into spring break.
“What a job to come into,” Frisinger said. “We like high expectations.”
Although last year’s team won Wolverine Conference, District and Regional titles and advanced to the season’s final day, Paw Paw is hoping to add a Finals championship to its portfolio.
With impressive credentials, the new coach knows what needs to be done. She was part of Kalamazoo Christian’s 2002 championship team, coached by Marty DeJong, and was a two-time all-state player. For the last 10 years, she has also given softball lessons and is no stranger to most of her players.
“I’ve actually trained a lot of these girls,” she said. “I’ve been their pitching and hitting coach for a long time. I got to know a lot of the girls, and they talked me into applying for the job.”
Learning from the past
Last year, Frisinger followed the team all the way to the Finals and made some notes for this season.
One thing that caught her attention was watching Richmond pitcher Katie Shuboy lead her team to a 3-0 win against Paw Paw in the Final.
“That pitcher was really skilled,” Frisinger said. “Watching her, she moved the ball around really well. I think the girls learned we need to see some better pitching to prepare to hit off better pitching.”
To help with that, the coach worked with the pitching staff in the offseason and added some tough competition to this season’s schedule.
“I’ve been working really hard with those guys, developing their pitches better, getting better movement, maybe add a different pitch in, so they’ve been working really hard,” she said.
“The goal for building a better schedule this year was to face some really tough teams. I’m okay losing to a good team. You see better competition.”
Cami VanderMeeden, in her fourth year on varsity, is one of five seniors on this year’s team. The others are Carlie Streich, Stella Shaefer, Megan Miller and Kailey Nichols.
“We’ve learned a lot from last year,” said VanderMeeden, who will play softball at Western Michigan next year. “We learned that we need to have better practices. We work a lot harder in practices this year, and we work together more as a team.
“This group of girls, we’ve all been together through middle school and most through elementary school. We have a good bond with each other.”
Frisinger said the third baseman has matured a lot since she first started working with her.
"She just plays with her whole heart,” the coach said. “She does everything hard. It’s just fun to watch.”
No longer rookie on the mound
Lauren MacKellar is one of six juniors on this year’s team along with Aliya Edson, Bella Clemons, Elizabeth Vanderburg, Kourtney Nichols and Raegan Zache. Two sophomores are Ellie Herbert and Charlotte Harling. Terry Reynolds is the assistant coach; he led Kalamazoo Christian to Division 4 runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2015.
Last year, her first on varsity, MacKellar was in the circle for the Final.
“It was a lot more than I’m used to, but I think I handled it the best that I could,” she said.
The pitcher is another who has trained with Frisinger.
“That kid is another one who has developed so much,” the coach said. “The way she gets the ball to move is impressive for her age.
“I’ve said that from when she entered high school, I was very impressed with the way she can spin the ball.”
Edson, in her third year on varsity, said the team never expected to advance as far as it did last year but is using it as a learning experience.
The catcher is “calm and cool behind the plate,” Frisinger said. “I would love to pitch to her. She’s just helps bring that pitcher in and control their emotions. She’s just very good and in charge out there.”
MacKellar said she and Edson work well together.
"We’ve known each other for a long time and worked together so much over the past years,” MacKellar explained. “Last year, it was on us most of the time to make the right decisions and the right calls for pitches.”
Sticking together
Edson said softball is really a family.
“It’s always been something I can look forward to to keep my spirit up,” she said. “It’s always been there for me when I was having a tough time.”
With this team, “We’ve been playing with each other since we were little and we just have that chemistry and bond,” she said. “We definitely have a lot of good players.”
Vanderburg, a shortstop on varsity all three years, said hitting and depth drive this year’s Red Wolves.
“Our hitting is super strong this year and we have depth in our lineup, 1 through 13,” she said. “I believe in every single one of them that they can hit the ball and get on (base). Our defense is super strong. We’ve got really good pitchers, all four can pitch against any team. We barely make any errors.”
Frisinger noted about her shortstop: “She’s just got this bunch of energy. When she gets going, there’s no stopping her.”
Besides a stronger schedule, Frisinger said the team has been working on “changing up at different positions because injuries do happen. I want a deep bench. I want people ready to go if something were to happen.
“It’s a very team-first mentality. They’re all so talented. I’m very fortunate to coach a team of girls that love the game as much as they do and work so hard. They support one another and are just great teammates.
“I love giving back to the girls. Love giving back to the sport that gave so much to me.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Paw Paw's Elizabeth Vanderburg (9) and Carlie Streich embrace after Vanderburg's walk-off home run in last season's Semifinal. (2) Kalamazoo Christian standout Allison Frisinger is taking over the program assisted by former K-Christian coach Terry Reynolds. (3) Paw Paw junior Lauren MacKellar. (4) Cami VanderMeeden drives a pitch during the 3-2 win over Carleton Airport. (Coaches photo by Pam Shebest. Action photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Leaders Guide D3 Contenders Thru Semis
June 17, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING — The last thing Marissa VanDenBerg wanted to talk about was her game-winning triple.
She wanted to give credit to Grandville Calvin Christian teammate Kennedy Stevens, the No. 9 hitter whose game-tying single made VanDenBerg’s heroics possible.
She also didn't mind talking about the two big defensive plays she made to snare foul balls from her shortstop position, one of which was responsible for the bandage wrapped around her left forearm.
"I'm just used to getting injured," VanDenBerg said. "It's OK. It's fine. It happens."
What hasn't happened for the Squires since 1994 is a trip to an MHSAA softball championship game, a drought that ended with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Millington on Friday in the Division 3 Semifinals at Michigan State University. Calvin Christian (33-10) will face reigning champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central for the title at 3 p.m. Saturday at MSU's Secchia Stadium.
St. Mary (27-5) beat Gladstone, 13-0, in five innings in the other Semifinal.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, unranked Calvin Christian scored three runs to hand fifth-ranked Millington (42-2) only its second loss of the season and end the Cardinals' 31-game winning streak. Stevens tied it with a two-out single to right, and VanDenBerg broke the deadlock with a two-run triple to center field.
Stevens, the No. 9 hitter, has the lowest average among the Squires' starters at .293. But with Millington pitcher Taylor Wright about to strand runners in scoring position for the third straight inning, Stevens lined a single to right field to bring home Kendall Bouma with the tying run.
"To be honest, I haven't had a hit that big in a long time," Stevens said. "It means a lot. I didn't really know where I hit it until after I came back to the dugout and people told me. With how powerful their crowd was, there was a lot of noise going on and distraction. You really have to focus. It's hard at times."
VanDenBerg, the only senior who played for the Squires on Friday, stepped up and crushed a pitch to center field. The Cardinals’ center fielder took one step in before running back to chase the fly ball, which just eluded her outstretched glove short of the warning track. Jaycie Bos, who walked, and Stevens scored to put Calvin Christian ahead, 4-2.
"I give all the credit to Kennedy Stevens, I really do," VanDenBerg said. "I love it when she hits the right side. She starts it off for us. Down in the order, they're awesome. They're the ones who get us going. Our top really didn't do well today. Kennedy's great. I'm so proud of her. I give all the credit to her."
A lot of credit also was directed back at VanDenBerg, not only for her game-winning triple, not only for her two great plays to catch foul balls, but for the leadership she provides an extremely young team. Calvin Christian had seven sophomores, two juniors and a senior in its 10-player lineup (including designated player) on Friday against a freshman-laden Millington team.
"She's so positive and energetic and always seems to know what to say at the right time," Calvin Christian coach Mike Gruppen said. "Then she comes up with big plays. She leads in all ways with her verbal leadership and her leadership on the field. It's unbelievable."
Stevens is one of the sophomores who have benefitted from VanDenBerg's guidance throughout an up-and-down season in which the Squires lost 10 games. Stevens said that VanDenBerg's poise was particularly important as the Squires went deep into the game, still trailing by a run.
"It was hard to pick us back up," Stevens said. "You always have those doubts going through your head. You have a whole team cheering you on and backing you up, especially our shortstop. Marissa VanDenBerg helped a lot, picking us up and bringing us together. She brought us up when we were down. That helped a lot, having a leader like that on our team. She's always talking to us, always cheering us on."
Scoring any runs against Millington was going to be a difficult chore, considering the Cardinals came into the game with eight straight shutouts, outscoring six postseason opponents by a combined 59-0 margin.
That shutout streak ended quickly, as Calvin Christian took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. VanDenBerg led off by reaching base on an error, scoring on a bases-loaded single by Kim Moelker. There could have been more damage in the inning, but Kaleigh Whitcomb was thrown out at the plate for the second out while trying to score on the play.
Millington responded in the top of the second inning, as Sydney Bishop led off with a single and scored when the ball was thrown around following an infield single by Kayli Leix.
A dropped infield popup opened the door for Millington to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Taylor Rueger reached on the error, was bunted to second by Taylor Wright and scored on a two-out single to center field by Leix.
Wright escaped a huge jam in the fifth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, she struck out the next two batters to keep Millington ahead by one.
The Cardinals couldn't continue to hold off the Squires, however.
Wright got a strikeout to begin the sixth before Bouma singled and Bos walked. Wright got another strikeout to move within one out of getting out of trouble again before Stevens and VanDenBerg came through with their big hits.
Calvin Christian's rally denied Millington its first appearance in an MHSAA championship game in any sport. The Cardinals made the 1993 Class B volleyball Semifinals, losing to Marysville. Their football team reached the Semifinals in 1994, 1999, 2009 and 2010. The softball team never won a Regional title before this season, getting to the Semifinals despite having five freshmen among nine starters and eight freshmen on a 12-player roster.
"We definitely have girls coming up through our program now," seventh-year Millington coach Greg Hudie said. "We built a love for softball in Millington in the last couple years. We have kids coming back and more kids coming up. The future is very bright."
One of the few losses for the Cardinals will be a key one. Wright, one of only two seniors on the team, had 12 strikeouts Friday. The loss was her first after 22 victories. Millington's only previous loss came against Division 1 10th-ranked 1 Canton in a game in which Wright didn't pitch.
"She's been a role model for a lot of great young pitchers coming up," Hudie said. "We've got some really great pitching coming up. We've got a great freshman pitcher who was our third baseman today (Gabbie Sherman). We've got some lower-level pitchers who absolutely adore Taylor. She made them want to work harder. The wins she's picked up, she means a lot to us. She'll be hard to replace, for sure, but she started all this."
Calvin Christian will play in its fifth MHSAA championship game. The Squires won Class C titles in 1988 and 1993.
Monroe St. Mary 13, Gladstone 0
Meghan Beaubien can admit it now.
"I wouldn't tell anybody, but last year I was pretty nervous," she said. "In both games, I guess. This year, I'm super comfortable. You always have butterflies in your stomach, but I wasn't as nervous as last year."
Beaubien did just fine at MSU last year, allowing only two hits and striking out 30 to lead Monroe St. Mary to victories in the Semifinals and championship game.
The University of Michigan commit, who is still only a junior, took it to another level against Gladstone in a matchup of the last two Division 3 champions.
Beaubien struck out 13 of the 15 batters she faced, pitching a five-inning perfect game. Gladstone didn't hit a ball out of the infield.
"She's the real deal," Gladstone coach Ashley Hughes said. "We were talking about her before this game. Obviously, we knew she was going to be tough. They have a really great team. They're hitters. They're fundamentally sound. The better team won today."
St. Mary pounded out 19 hits, with 12 players getting at least one. Kenna Garst was 3 for 4 with three RBI, while Brooke Angerer was 3 for 3 with two RBI and three runs.
The Kestrels scored four times in the first inning, then broke open a 7-0 game with six more in the fifth.
"This could be our best overall hitting performance," St. Mary coach John Morningstar said. "People know with (Beaubien), three runs is the kiss of death. If you give up three runs, there's no chance of coming back."
Beaubien has 381 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings this spring. She has a 22-1 record and a 0.23 ERA.
PHOTOS: (Top) Calvin Christian players, including Sarah Elderkin (7) celebrate Friday’s Division 3 Semifinal win. (Middle) A Monroe St. Mary’s runner tries to beat out a Gladstone fielder pursuing with the ball.