SOFTBALL: Clarkston gains split with Lake Orion, snaps Dragons’ streak at 17
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
Dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
LAKE ORION — Clarkston figured out a mystery on Thursday evening that no one has been able to solve since May of 2012: Beat Lake Orion on the softball diamond.
The Wolves, honorable mention in this week’s Division 1 polls, bounced back for an 8-6 victory over sixth-ranked Lake Orion in the nightcap of an OAA Red Division twinbill, snapping Lake Orion’s league streak at 17.
The Dragons, who won the first game, 7-4, were 5-0 this season in league play heading into Game 2, finished 10-0 last season and won its final two league games in 2012 to start the impressive streak.
“I don’t really pay attention to that. We just really take it one pitch at a time,” admitted Clarkston coach Don Peters. “As strong as this league is this year There was a time where you get through with only two losses in this league you’re in great shape. And when you have 4-5 really good teams, maybe they all are good, you’re going to have some (battles).”
Clarkston junior Madeline Maday gained the win in Game 2, but surrendered four runs in the top of the seventh before recording a fly out with runners on second and third to end the game.
The Wolves scored two in the first on RBI singles from Abby Skvarce and Maddy Scarcella to set the tone. Candace Kitchen supplied an RBI double in the second and Victoria Wycoff followed with an RBI double in the third for a 4-2 advantage.
Vieria, who was 2-for-3 with a walk, belted a two-run opposite field home run in the fourth for a 6-2 advantage, while Scarcella supplied an RBI single and Mackenzie King an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth for an 8-2 lead for Clarkston, which amassed 10 hits and 15 baserunners in the second game.
Four hits and a hit batsmen led to the four runs in the seventh for Lake Orion, including a two-run single by Rachel Dolland that cut the deficit down to two runs. The Dragons, who are hitting close to .400 as a team this season, couldn’t push the equalizer across the plate in their final at-bat.
Kayla Knoblock was 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run in the second game for Lake Orion. Dolland drove in three runs in the nightcap.
“We’re still right where we need to be,” admitted Lake Orion coach Joe Woityra. “We’re 5-1 in the league with four (games) to go. We can still win the league. I am glad that we still fought back in the second game. We almost had it.”
Lake Orion (18-4, 5-1) used a five-run second inning in Game 1 to pull ahead of the Wolves (16-5, 3-2). The Dragons led 6-0 after two frames, and 7-3 after three innings before Clarkston added a run in the seventh.
Carly McGee had two hits and Bethany Kogut scored two runs in Game 1. The Dragons amassed 11 hits in the opener off Clarkston’s Kitchen, including eight hits in the first two frames alone.
Sierra Gonzales gained the win from the circle in Game 1 for Lake Orion, scattering six hits with five strikeouts. She pitched 3 2/3 innings in the nightcap before being chased and suffered the loss.
“This was two different games. We played great the first game,” said Woityra. “The second game we showed our youth at a few positions. The girls were shivering and we just didn’t play well until late.”
Vieria had three hits for Clarkston in the opener and five on the day.
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