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Nervous finish as Lakes holds of Antioch

A pair of pinch hits each for two players - Bella Hoffman and Amanda Costain?

Sure, that's rare.

Nearly squandering a 6-run lead late in a game?

Alas, for Lakes' softball team, that's not rare.

"We're good at that," Eagles coach Bill Hamill said.

In a game that reminded Hamill of contests earlier this season against Grayslake North and Grant, Lakes held off visiting Antioch 7-6 in a North Suburban Prairie Division makeup Wednesday.

"It was tough," winning pitcher Taylor Dishinger said after recording the final two outs with two runners on. "I think we just get ahead of ourselves sometimes. We think we got the game. But all that matters is getting the win at the end."

It appeared Lakes (11-5-1, 5-1) would win easily after adding 3 insurance runs after two were out in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-1. But Antioch (8-10, 3-3) got a triple to deep center field off the bat of Jessica Tyrell leading off the seventh, and Madeline Hart followed with a single. Then after Taylor Schiltz bunted for a hit, Hoffman came to the plate as a pinch hitter for the second time in three innings.

Hoffman - whose pinch-hit bloop RBI double in the fifth broke up Dishinger's no-hit bid - singled sharply into left. When the ball was booted for an error, Hart scored to make it a 7-3 game.

Then came a bit of controversy. With runners on second and third, Dishinger deflected Ashley Stephens' groundball, which rolled toward shortstop. When Antioch's base runner collided with Eagles shortstop Cassidy Schaar, the umpire ruled interference, sending Schiltz back to third and making it one out in the inning. Stephens was awarded first base.

Antioch coach Anthony Rocco argued, to no avail.

"The ump got the call right," Rocco said. "If we avoid that, who knows what happens."

Hannah Skoog and pinch hitter Costain followed with RBI singles, cutting the Sequoits' deficit to 7-5. Costain had smacked a pinch-hit single in the sixth, as well. An infield error plated another run, and the visitors had runners on first and second with their Nos. 4 and 5 hitters coming up.

But Lakes first baseman Violet Dinger speared Sage Keyes' sinking liner, and Schaar squeezed Tyrell's soft liner to end the game.

"As a pitcher, I feel like you have to pitch where the hitter's weakness is," Dishinger said of her two big outs. "You have to pitch them where they don't like the ball."

Dishinger allowed 4 earned runs and 8 hits, striking out three and walking two. Only a dropped flyball prevented her from having a no-hitter through five innings.

"She did a nice job," Hamill said of his three-year varsity pitcher.

Lakes had only 5 hits, but three were for extra bases. Dinger and Schaar (2 sacrifices) ripped doubles, while Kate Hohenstatt led off the sixth with an inside-the-park homer to straightaway center field. Montana Mang walked three times and lifted a sacrifice fly. Chandler Mang had a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Hohenstatt and Schaar successfully executed a double-steal of home and second base, respectively.

Lakes scored 3 runs in the fifth without the benefit of a hit, as Antioch committed 4 errors in the inning.

Antioch didn't have a hit from one of its starters until Tyrell's seventh-inning triple.

"We got to get the bats going (earlier)," Rocco said. "I know it was cold, and the pitchers have the advantage, but we're way too athletic."

  Antioch's Mackenzie Thomas, left, attempts to scoop a throw as Lakes' Michelle Houghton makes is safely to second during their game Wednesday at Lakes High School in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Lakes' Taylor Dishinger pitches against Antioch on Wednesday at Lakes. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comAntioch's Jessica Tyrell, right, is out at first base as Lakes' Jen Reed makes the play Wednesday at Lakes.
  Lakes' Kate Hohenstatt connects with the ball against Antioch on Wednesday at Lakes. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Antioch's Jessica Pedersen connects against host Lakes on Wednesday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Antioch's Ashley Stephens makes a catch in right field against host Lakes. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Lakes' Kate Hohenstatt, left, scores as Antioch's Jessica Tyrell makes the play Wednesday at Lakes. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
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