Softball: Round Lake sweeps Alden-Hebron

Kaley Greenwood ditched her sleeves in the dugout during Round Lake's softball game on a chilly Wednesday morning.

Mind you, fans were dressed in winter coats and blankets, and some players sported hoodies.

"It got kind of hot," Greenwood said.

The senior outfielder was just warming up.

Greenwood led off the bottom of the seventh of a tie game with a double and raced home when the next batter, sophomore Lilly Larson, poked an opposite-field single into right. Larson's walk-off hit gave Round Lake a 6-5 win over visiting Alden-Hebron, keeping the Panthers hot on a morning that featured mid-40-degree temperatures.

"I didn't know it was the end of the game," said Larson, who also went sleeveless. "I just was running."

Greenwood and Larson stayed hot with their bats in Game 2 of the nonconference doubleheader, as Round Lake won 17-1 in five innings. Greenwood was 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI, while Larson went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Charla Ryan doubled and knocked in 3 runs, and Emily Etherington allowed just 3 singles in 5 innings in the circle, as the Panthers improved to 5-1.

"We're playing pretty well," Round Lake coach Patrick DeDina said after Game 1. "As long as we throw strikes, we're OK."

In the opener, Round Lake freshman Michelle Lauritzen pitched 5 innings in her second varsity appearance and left with the Panthers up 5-4. The right-hander was in line for the win, but Alden-Hebron scored an unearned run off Etherington in the seventh thanks to a pair of errors.

"The first time (she pitched) she looked a little better than she did today," DeDina said of Lauritzen. "She had some control issues today, but she still threw pretty well."

The Panthers showed resiliency, something they've been doing in the early part of the season, as they struck quickly after surrendering the lead in the seventh. Greenwood belted a Zoe Deeringer pitch off the base of the fence in left-center.

Round Lake has not hit a home run the season.

"I knew (the ball) was in the outfield, but I didn't think it was (going over the fence)," Greenwood said after going 1-for-2 and reaching base three times (walk, hit by pitch).

Larson was an unlikely hero, considering she says she wasn't supposed to be swinging away. Greenwood scored standing up.

"I was supposed to bunt, but I did not see the sign," Larson said. "(DeDina) said it's OK, because I brought her in."

Sydney Verastegui went 2-for-3 and scored twice from the leadoff spot for Round Lake. Lina Navarrete and Ryan (RBI) had a triple and double, respectively, for the Panthers, who trailed 1-0 after a half inning and scored twice in the fourth to snap a 3-3 tie.

"We seem to come back," Greenwood said. "The pressure doesn't get to us too much. We have good innings."

The bottom of the seventh was proof of that.