By Anthony Schulte
Sports Contributor
ORION TWP. — With spring sports always comes cancellations and schedule changes. This week proved that right, with many Lake Orion varsity baseball games impacted by weather and field conditions.
Games against Detroit Catholic Central, Dexter, and the Utica Eisenhower Eagles were all affected in some way this week.
The double-header scheduled for April 17 against Catholic Central was postponed and separated. Game one was played Thursday, and game two will be played May 12 at Catholic Central. In addition, Catholic Central was late to the ballpark Thursday causing an hour and 15-minute delay.
Friday’s game at Dexter was postponed to May 19, and Saturday’s away double-header at Utica Eisenhower was postponed to Sunday and moved to Lake Orion.
Amid the schedule saga, the Dragons still played some baseball.
The first game of the week was a victory for the Dragons when the L’AnSe Creuse North Crusaders traveled to Lake Orion. Two Dragon pitchers, Kael Gahan and Brandon Nepjuk, combined for a no-hitter.
Lake Orion came out of the gates hot, scoring five runs in the first inning. The Dragons would add two runs in the second frame and one in the third, but that would end the Lake Orion scoring attack for the evening.
In the seventh inning, the Crusaders would notch two runs but Lake Orion secured the 8-2 victory.
The Catholic Central Shamrocks visited Orion on Thursday in what turned out to be a pitchers’ duel with only two total runs scored all game.
Pitcher Casey Robertson toed the rubber for the Dragons and recorded 18 outs and seven strikeouts. The only Shamrock offense would cross the plate in the top of the fourth inning, courtesy of Catholic Central’s Dylan Fairchild single and Cal Rutherford stealing home on a pickoff attempt from Robertson.
Lake Orion would fail to score all game, losing 2-0. This is the first time this season Lake Orion has been shut out.
Sunday afternoon set nippy temperatures and cloudy skies as the backdrop to the Eisenhower and Lake Orion double-header. Game one was all Lake Orion, with the Dragons capturing the victory, 7-0. Pitchers Connor McCartan, Evan Dempsey, Kyle Purdy and Michael Jockwig combined for the shutout.
The offense was led by great plate vision, with Dragon hitters combining to draw seven total walks.
Game two was a low-scoring affair. Lake Orion sent out young pitcher Carson Russell for the start. He surrendered zero runs and struck out six batters.
The Dragon offense got started in the first inning, tallying three runs in the opening frame. They would not score again in the contest, despite a late-game surge from the Eagles who scored two runs in their half of the sixth inning. The Dragons would hold on and win narrowly, 3-2.
This week, Lake Orion looks to continue their winning ways with a three-game series against Stoney Creek. Game one was set for Monday at Lake Orion with game two on Tuesday after Lake Orion Review press time. The third game of the series is 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Stoney Creek.
The Dragons have a double-header against Macomb Dakota at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lake Orion High School.