After a soggy start, the Lake Orion Baptist Lions baseball team’s season is turning green with help from the springtime sun.
The boys have a 3-3 recod as they head to rival Faith Baptist on May 8.
They began their 2009 campaign on March 31 with a 12-0 loss to Plymouth Christian.
After several rain-outs, snow-outs, Easter break and school activities, the team took on Summit Christian April 22. They took another loss, 12-1.
‘It has been a rough start for the young Lions, who have lost four starters to graduation and two to transfers,? said the Lions? coach.
Only five are returning players from last year’s team. Team MVP James Moreno (.593) and Danny Fisher (.250) are the only seniors.
Junior pitchers Chris Hojnacki (.533) and league MVP Matt Cameron (.381) were both 7-1 on the month for the Lions? previous season.
Conner Welby (.388 and 2-0 in pitching) is the lone returning sophomore.
The rest of the Lion roster is filled with players moving up from the junior high team, though, with two early-season injuries, the roster was down to nine.
On April 28 the sun perked up and so did the team. Injured players healed and the Lions swept Springfield Christian in a doubleheader, 15-5 and 6-1.
The team finished out the week with a 14-3 win over Macomb Christian. Hojnacki picked up his first win of the season, retiring all nine hitters he faced. Lions? offense came alive as Welby and Hojnacki had four hits and three runs.
Noruk was 3-3 with three runs and Cameron had two hits including a two-run homer.