Leadership critical in Our Lady's path to division crown

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes continues its impressive play as it is nearing the 30-win mark for the season and clinched the Detroit Catholic League Intersectional Division title this past week.

The Lakers (27-5, 22-2 Intersectional Division) began the week at home against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook on Monday, May 9 and swept a doubleheader by the scores of 12-2 and 15-1.

Lauren Robak led Our Lady with three RBIs in the first game while Abbey Troy scored two runs, Hannah Garris hit two RBIs and Michelle Cotrelle earned the win in the pitcher’s circle.

In the second game, Julie Mastromatteo hit four RBIs while Abbigayle Kline had 13 strikeouts to pick up the win.

The Lakers were back in action the next day at home with a key Intersectional Division doubleheader against Royal Oak Shrine.

Once again, Our Lady was strong at home, sweeping Shrine by the scores of 8-1 and 1-0.

In the first game, Cotrelle had seven strikeouts in the circle while Abbey Troy drove in a pair of runs and Lauren Robak hit a triple.

In the second game, Kline struck out nine batters while Robak drove home Sarah Nuss in the bottom of the seventh for the game-winning run.

The Lakers then completed their six-games-in-six days span on Wednesday, May 11 by traveling to face Marine City Cardinal Mooney, which is in second place in the Intersectional Division, in a doubleheader.

Our Lady took the first game from the Cardinals, 10-1, as Garris hit 3-for-3 with three RBIs while Mastromatteo hit 3-for-4 with a grand slam and Cottrelle had seven strikeouts in the circle.

However, Cardinal Mooney struck back in the nightcap with a 9-3 victory.

Nuss hit 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs in the defeat for Our Lady, which will host Royal Oak Shrine in a Catholic League semifinal on Thursday, May 19 before playing a non-league game at Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett on Friday, May 20.

The Catholic League final is scheduled for Monday, May 23.

“The difference at this point is that we have very good senior leadership. All of them have taken ownership of the team and are about just winning,” Our Lady Head Coach Steve Troy said.

“In fact, everyone on the team is about the team, not about their own personal stats. The kids real don’t care who get the winning hit or the most hits, they just want to win.”