Lake Orion’s impressive start includes sweep of Rochester
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — Lake Orion’s focus this season is set more towards the final chapter than the bulk of the season. Perhaps the opposition should be weary of the Dragons at this stage of the campaign.
With the postseason still over a month away, Lake Orion moved to 13-1 overall with a 11-2, 12-4 double-header sweep of visiting Rochester Monday. This is part of the Dragons’ best start since the mid-1990s.
“We talked earlier that our focus is at the end of the season,” said Lake Orion coach Joe Woityra. “Sure, wins at this point of the season are great. But if we just go out and play hard, play (solid softball), the wins will take care of themselves and we’ll be ready at the end of the season.”
Rochester (4-6) believes the Dragons are a team that is good right now.
“Lake Orion is a solid team,” said Rochester coach Jennifer Morgan. “They are always a good team.”
Morgan’s Falcons, who feature seven returning starters, are more concerned about the OAA White Division race. Rochester was tied in first heading into the final week last season before finishing third.
Rochester has Rochester Adams Wednesday and defending league champion Auburn Hills Avondale Friday — the two teams that finished ahead of the Falcons last season in the league standings.
“I did see some things I liked about us, we had a couple of young kids that (show promise),”said Morgan, whose team was 3-2 at the Stars Tournament in Grand Blanc over the weekend. “This was one of those days where we didn’t play very well as a team, but everyone has those days.
“I think our league is very wide open this year, so that’s where our main focus is this year,” she added.
Lake Orion never trailed in the opener, building a 6-2 lead after three innings before tacking on five more runs in the fifth.
Sandra Rippon pitched the first four innings for the win from the circle, scattering five hits, two unearned runs and five strikeouts.
Lead-off hitter Jessica Lucas was for-5 to pace the Dragons’ attack, scoring three runs with an RBI and one stolen base. Lake Orion put together 16 hits in the win.
Julie Malear was 3-for-3 with two RBI and Danielle Guldi 2-for-4 with four RBI for the Dragons.
Jamie Trombetta was 2-for-3 and drove in both runs for Rochester.
Kaitlin Kogut, who came on in relief in Game 1, pitched six strong innings in the nightcap. She has not lost all season and in Game 2 scattered eight hits with five strikeouts against two walks for Lake Orion.
“Sandra’s a little sore from our tournament Saturday, so we gave Kaitlin a lot of work. She’s never lost (on varsity) as a pitcher,” said Woityra. “She gives us some nice depth as a pitcher.”
Rochester’s Carly Cribbs staked the Falcons to 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first with an RBI triple. She later left the game with an injury and the Falcons relinquished the lead in the second frame, when the Dragons scored four times to take the lead for good.
Guldi, Corinne Listenbee and Paige Hamay all had RBI singles in the second. Lake Orion added two more in the fourth inning and erupted for five in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach. The Dragons took advantage of three consecutive Rochester errors in the fifth inning.
Listenbee had three RBI, Hamay had a triple, scored three times and drove home a run and Malear was 2-for-3 and scored twice for the Dragons.
“We have (rival) Clarkston on Wednesday, and so I think our competition will start to get a little tougher,” said Woityra, whose team’s only loss was in the finals of the Lake Orion Invitational to Lowell, 2-0. “I think that’s what we’re looking forward to. We have some league games coming up and we’re in the Piper Tournament this weekend, so we’ll definitely see some good teams there.”
Sarah Schedlebauer was 3-for-4 and freshman Emily Smith belted a triple in the nightcap for Rochester.
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Category: High School, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps, Rochester
