With a high school enrollment of 35, and only one senior boy, Lake Orion Baptist School (the smallest school in the MACS) was standing tall with only one opponent left to defeat in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools.
However, the opponent was the defending state baseball champion, Calvary Baptist of Ypsilanti. Unfortunately for LOBS, Calvary’s experience and depth were too much to handle.
Top-seeded Calvary (19-6) came from behind twice to earn a 15-0 victory over LOBS. The two teams had split a doubleheader earlier in the season.
The LOBS Lions struck first in the opening inning, as David King’s single drove Chet Vincent for a 1-0 lead. Calvary struck back in the second with four runs on a couple of walks, three hits and an error.
The Lions roared back, scoring nine in the top of the third. After three walks, Vincent knocked Ben Cuyler with a sacrifice fly ball, and James Moreno scored as the throw from centerfield went wild.
King singled again, scoring Jon Moreno, and Cole Welby singled in King to take the lead, 5-4. After four more walks and a fielder’s choice, Zach Halleck singled in Joey Cremer, and Jon Moreno’s RBI single knocked in Ben Vincent, to make it 10-4.
Calvary came back, scoring three in the third, one in the fourth and tying it with two in the fifth, before pulling away with five in the bottom of the sixth.
‘It came down to experience,? said Lions coach Bill Welby. ‘Calvary had all juniors and seniors with one sophomore, and they just hit the ball better than our younger guys did today.
‘Our starting line-up consisted of one senior, two juniors and two sophomores, two freshmen, two eighth-graders and seventh-grade centerfielder Chris Hojnacki,? Welby said. ‘I’m just proud of the way that we competed all season.?
In the MACS semi-final, LOBS beat the number two seed and last year’s state runner-up, Faith of Davison, 11-3.
‘It was our finest effort against a great team in our three-year existence,? said Welby.
King scattered six hits in seven innings from the mound, striking out four and walking only one. Only one run was earned, and Jon Moreno had two hits and scored three times.
Cole Welby had two hits and three RBI, while Halleck and Cuyler had two singles each.
Cremer had a bases-loaded double, clearing all the bases during the Lions? seven-run fourth inning.