Softball double headers can allow for spectacular wins, crushing losses and sometimes the home team cannot quite make the plays they need.
The Dragons of softball managed just that on May 3, when after scoring a shutout victory over rivals and neighbors the Clarkston Wolves, they were upset during the second game of their double header.
The first game, a 3-0 victory saw the Dragons play what Head Coach Joe Woityra called their ‘best defensive game of the year.?
‘We had one error and basically only had one error on the whole day,? he said. ‘Whenever they had runners on base we had our defense come up really big. I cannot complain there at all. We moved our runners with ground outs and sacrifices and their catcher threw a couple away.
‘You’ll see that a lot especially come regionals – people come out nervous before they settle down and get to playing.?
Junior Pitcher Alicia Gronowski threw all seven innings, earning an early season shutout. Offensively, Senior Brianna Schwarcz hit one of the two hits the team scored, earning an RBI in the process. Sophomore Kennedi Thomas also had a hit that game.
The second game saw Gronowski give up four runs in the first two innings. She reined in her throws until the fifth inning when she was replaced with senior Kaitlin Kogut who would close the game out with no more hits. The Dragons managed a startling comeback in seventh inning scoring three more runs for Lake Orion, but coming up just shy of the tie game.
On the day, the offense’s average still remains high, with seniors Sierra Woods, Schwarcz, Taylor Dylan, junior Julie Malear, sophomores Jennifer Warznie, Thomas, Kayla Knoblock, freshmen Rachel Dolland and Hannah Hamay all averaging above .300.
The team also played Detroit Country Day on Monday and will play N. Farmington today (May 9). Farmington was picked to win the league this year according to Woityra and have ‘three or four really good hitters.?
The girls are 12-9 overall and 4-2 in the OAA Red Division.