West Bloomfield

Local softball teams find mixed success in district action

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Donna Agusti West Bloomfield High’s Lidya Ayar slides into home as the Groves catcher blocks the plate June 2 at Southfield-Lathrup in a district final. The Lakers lost 8-3. Photo by Donna Agusti West Bloomfield High’s Lidya Ayar slides into home as the Groves catcher blocks the plate June 2 at Southfield-Lathrup in a district final. The Lakers lost 8-3.

West Bloomfield High softball coach Jessica Granger saw her team play some of its best ball at the end of the season.

The Lakers fell to Birmingham Groves 8-3 June 2 at Southfield-Lathrup in a Division 1 district final, but not before making a run of their own.

“We definitely started playing better softball during the district. Unfortunately, we made a couple of errors,” Granger said after the loss. “They were physical errors, and that happens. Mental errors are ones that never make a coach happy, but physical errors, you can’t do too much about that.”

Groves’ Carli Cozenza broke the scoreless tie with a two-run double in the third inning. The Falcons would go on to score two more in the top of the third for a 4-0 lead and to take control.

West Bloomfield responded by putting a run on the board in its half of the third when Taylor Rose crossed the plate.

Groves extended its lead, scoring two more in the fourth and one in the fifth, for a 7-1 lead. The Lakers bounced back in the bottom of the sixth, getting two runs, but Groves added an insurance run in the seventh before ending the game in the bottom half with three straight outs.

In their semifinal, the Lakers beat Birmingham Seaholm 14-13 before taking on Groves.

“It was really a hitting match between both teams, and whenever they would score, we would answer back, and that’s all I could ask of them,” Granger said.

West Bloomfield beat Bloomfield Hills Marian 9-2 May 29 in its pre-district. The Lakers finished the season 12-17 overall.

“(The seniors) were a really great group, and I was fortunate to have them,” Granger said. “I’m sad to see them go, and they’re going to be very hard to replace.”

In other local softball news:
Walled Lake Northern won its D-1 district, beating Walled Lake Western 4-2 June 2 at Brighton High. Northern beat Brighton High in its semifinal 7-1.

Western made the final after beating Walled Lake Central 6-1 in its semifinal.

Regionals and quarterfinals were played after press time. Check back on our website for tournament updates.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1062. Follow Christian on Twitter.