The good news is that the Lake Orion four-game league losing streak has ended. The bad news is that the winning streak was stopped at one.
The Dragons fell, 7-5, at home against Clarkston in eight innings on May 22, to drop to 5-5 in league action, officially ending their hopes of repeating as OAA I champs.
Trailing 5-1, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Dragons were able to manufacture four runs, including the last three without the ball leaving the infield.
‘Our kids didn’t quit after we spotted them a 5-0 lead,? coach Andy Schramek said. ‘I can take a lot of positives out of it.?
‘In the last two innings we had some great at bats,? he added.
Unfortunately for LO, Clarkston had the last laugh, stringing together three hits in a row in the top of the eighth, including a two-run single from pitcher Mike Kittle, to account for the final score.
On May 19, LO returned to action after rain had postponed them earlier in the week, beating Farmington, 7-2.
Lee Dickinson struck out 8 while giving up just two hits in five innings of work, and Steve Garver led the Dragon offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI on the day.
The Dragons used a four-run fifth inning to open up a six-run lead.
‘We started hitting the ball,? Schramek noted. ‘We’re getting better at the right time of the year.?
The state playoffs begin next week.