By Anthony Schulte
Review Sports Contributor
ORION TWP. — Last year, the Lake Orion varsity baseball team finished the season 29-10 and won their district.
The 2022 campaign ended with a loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the regional semifinals.
This season, head coach Andrew Schramek says their goal is to win the league and get back to where they left off last year.
With sluggers Joey Bruno, Connor McCartan and Casey Robertson leading a powerful lineup on offense and pitching ace Kael Gahan fronting a strong pitching staff, that goal may become reality.
Lake Orion has been a mainstay at the top of the standings for years, and they look to continue their dominance with a strong 2023 roster.
The Dragons will compete in the Oakland Activities Association (OAA) Red division against teams such as Clarkston, Oxford, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Stoney Creek and West Bloomfield.
This season, senior leadership is expected by impact players from last season. Bruno, McCartan, Robertson, Cooper Villereal, Nick Nuss, Max Firestine and Michael Jockwig round out the senior class. Some juniors and sophomores will see increased roles as the team navigates its way through injuries.
Villereal suffered an injury before try-outs and is expected to miss the entire season.
“We will have to play some games and see what we do well and poorly,” Schramek said. “We need to develop a bullpen and catch the younger players up on the speed and intensity of the game.”
The Dragons find themselves in district 29 when playoffs start, against West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Waterford Kettering and Waterford Mott.
Lake Orion spent their pre-season down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during spring break to compete in a series of exhibition matchups. The Dragons won three games and lost one, beating Brighton twice (5-4 and 7-4, respectively), and topped Union City 15-0.
The Dragons’ only loss was in yet another match against Brighton, this time being shut-out 8-0.
The team also played two inter-squad games, final scores being 5-2 and 8-6.
Lake Orion was set to open regular season play Tuesday against Lapeer after Lake Orion Review press time.