The 2010 Lake Orion Baptist Lions Baseball team is looking to avenge five straight Michigan Association of Christian Schools State (MACS) championship game losses.
Winners of the Fundamental Baptist Athletic Conference for the last six years, the Lions just can’t seem to win that last game in the tournament.
The 2009 squad took a 16-5 record into last season’s MACS Championship game versus Stateline Christian, where the Lions ran into a buzz saw in freshman pitcher Todd Gardner. Gardner pitched a complete game four hit shut out, striking out 17 Lake Orion Baptist batters.
‘We do well in our league, but when we get to the MACS tournament, we run into much bigger schools.? said Coach Bill Welby. ‘We have forty kids in our high school, so we have to bring up some junior high kids to fill out our team. Stateline has 120 kids in their high school, Calvary Christian of Ypsilanti and Faith Baptist in Davison have had much higher enrollment than we have had recently. ?
He added, ‘We had the lead in four of those five championship games. Twice with two out in the last inning, when all of the sudden the floor dropped out.?
This year’s squad will be lead by the most successful pitching tandem in school history, seniors Matt Cameron and Chris Hojnacki.
Cameron was the league MVP in 2008, while Hojnacki was in 2009. The duo have a combined record of 24-8 in the last two seasons.
Hojnacki is also the number three hitter, batting .585 and driving in 32 runs in 2008. Hojnacki will play shortstop when he is not pitching. Cameron (.411) will be at third base.
Junior Conner Welby (.609) was First Team All Conference, and will handle the catching duties. Second Team All Conference sophomore infielder James Noruk (.488) will play second or third base.
Sophomore Evan Hojnacki (.206), freshman Ben Case (.289), and eighth grader Mark Dewar will fill out the infield. Eighth grader Jason Noruk will play first base and pitch.
In the outfield, the Lions will have sophomore Brad Watterworth (.296) roaming in center, with sophomore Elijah Cone (.182) in left and either Nick Gardner, Micah Bryson, or Noruk in right field.
‘In our league, if you have one good pitcher and another that can get the ball over the plate, you should have a good year. We have had at least two, sometimes three good pitchers for the last six years now. I am a little worried about our defense and our hitting deep in the order. We haven’t had much practice time this spring, so the pitching is more important this year than it ever has before,? said the coach.
The Lions have scheduled some bigger schools to their schedule this season.
‘We have added Detroit Cass Tech, Warren Fitzgerald, Stateline Christian, Plymouth Christian, and Parkway Christian, which played in the MHSAA Division 4 championship game last season. We need to see some bigger schools all through our schedule, so we know what to expect on the final game of the year.? adds Welby.
All of the LOBS baseball games will be played on the road.
– Story Submitted