A home run hit from junior Sydney Hasselbach boosted the Lady Wolves in their first game against Rochester Adams last Wednesday.
The Clarkston Girls Varsity Softball team opened the first game of their double header with four runs and kept the momentum going, finishing with a 9-0 win. The next game ended with a successful 6-0 win.
“We came out really strong,” said senior Megan Hastings. “It was a really good first game.”
Teammate senior Rachel Pytel agreed, and added it was only the beginning.
“It only gets better from here,” she said. “We will continue to grow and improve as a team.”
During the first game in the OAA crossover against Rochester Adams, Hasselbach hit 3-for-4 and had three RBIs. Hastings also hit 3-for-4 with a triple and one RBI as senior Tara Perry had two doubles and one single in her 3-for-4 hits at the bat.
“We were expecting to play our hardest,” Hastings added. “We didn’t know much about their team, and teams change throughout the year, so we couldn’t really predict from last year. We just have to have the confidence we are going to win every game and just play hard.”
Freshman Madeline Maday was the winning pitcher in her first game. She only allowed two hits and had 10 strikeouts.
Freshman Candice Kitchen also opened her season with Clarkston as winning pitcher in the second game. She struck out three hitters. She walked one player and allowed four hits.
“It was lots of fun,” said Don Peters, head coach. “Obviously impressed with our two freshmen and their shutouts.”
Perry and Hasselbach hit 3-for-4 in the second game. Hastings and Pytel both hit a double.
“Megan, Sydney, and Tara had a great game,” Peters added. “It is a good start. We will be tested when we have Troy on Wednesday. They are becoming quite a rivalry.”
Troy has six key returners following their success from last year – ending as regional champions.
“They are a good team,” Peters added. “They have good fundamentals. They are probably known more for their hitting.”
But the Lady Wolves are ready to face their OAA Red opponents in their double header.
“They are really well-rounded with their arms, hitting, knowledge and savvy,” Barry Bailey, assistant coach, added about Clarkston’s strengths going into the game.
“Our strengths are a lot of things including good attitude,” said Peters.
“You have to go out hard every game no matter who the team is,” Pytel added.
The Lady Wolves host Troy on Wednesday, first game of the double header begins at 4:30 p.m.
They travel to Swartz Creek on Thursday for another double header, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The girls host their first annual Girls in Pink Classic tournament on Saturday with Fenton, Regina, and Stevenson.
“Don decided we were going to put a tournament together in honor of breast cancer,” added Amy Quayle, assistant coach. “The girls will be wearing pink jerseys. It is going to be pretty cool, and it will be a lot of fun.”
T-shirts are on sale for $10 each, and entry for the games is $5. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Lady Wolves’ softball field at Clarkston High School.