Dragons Softball Go Back to Back District Crowns

Written, Saturday May 31st, at 5:40 PM

Good teams usually make big plays happen with two outs. That’s what happened on Saturday afternoon at Lake Orion in the softball district semi finals between two of the most premiered hitting teams in the state.

Facing a two run lead with a runner on second base, Lake Orion sophomore pitcher Sierra Gonzales got Clarkston to pop out on two straight pitches in rout to a 7-5 victory over the Wolves in the district semifinals. This is the second straight season that the Dragons have eliminated the Wolves in the district playoffs.

The game was scoreless for four innings until the Dragons struck first on a RBI single with two outs by Kenndi Thomas in the top of the fifth inning off Clarkston junior starter Madeline Maday giving them a 1-0 lead.

The two time Red Champions would then take advantage of sloppy infield play by Clarkston. The Wolves defense and pitching has been an issue all season. The Dragons hit a hard ground ball but was misplayed by the second baseman scoring two more runs for a 3-0 Lake Orion lead.

Clarkston however would have an answer though in the bottom half of the inning though.

With two outs and runners on first and second, the Wolves, Mariah Hood hit a three run double off Gonzales to the center field fence tying the score 3-3.

In the top of the sixth however Thomas would strike and with two outs again.

Thomas would then hit another two run-two out double off Maday giving Lake Orion the lead back 5-3 in the top of the inning and then in the same inning Kayla Knoblock added another two run double off Maday giving the Dragons a 7-3 lead.

The Wolves would add one more run off Gonzales in the bottom of the inning making it 7-4 in favor of Lake Orion.

Lake Orion would then leave the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning leaving Clarkston a chance to win the game. The Wolves scored on a double with nobody out in the bottom half of the seventh inning making the score 7-5 and many nerves at Lake Orion.

Clarkston would then hit two pop ups in that half of the inning and eventually would lead to the end of the game. The Dragons will move and play Waterford Mott in the district finals.

The Wolves were without junior starting pitcher and top hitter Candace Kitchen for the season to a sprained ankle against Troy Athens. Next season the Wolves will be a senior laden team but will have to deal with Lake Orion again.

In the district final against Waterford Mott, Dragons junior Megan Hall hit a solo home run and had an RBI double in rout to an 8-1 victory over the Corsairs. The win over Waterford Mott was the second district title for the Dragons, under coach Joe Woytira since taking over for the late great Denny Davis.

Lake Orion will move on to the regional at Hartland (in Livingston County) against Troy whom beat Troy Athens 7-6 at Bloomfield Hills. Troy and Lake Orion played two games against each other earlier in the season with the Dragons winning both games 11-1 and 8-7 at Troy over the Colts. The other regional semifinal will be the Romeo Bulldogs led by sophomore pitcher Haley Weaver up against the Fenton Tigers whom beat Hartland and Lakeland to get to the regional semifinals.

Next weekend should be interesting.