The Lake Orion Baptist Lions will open their sixth baseball season on April 1.
In 2007, the team went 16-5, and they have been league champs in the Fundamental Baptist Athletic Conference the past four seasons.
The Lions have made three consecutive appearances in the finals, but just can’t get over the hump of winning the Michigan Association of Christian Schools (MACS) state championships.
‘Last year, we were one out away, with our opponents? ninth hitter at the plate, when Faith Baptist of Davison pulled the rug out from underneath us,? Coach Bill Welby recalled. ‘A bloop single, a diving attempt that just popped out of an outfielder’s glove and a double off the fence dashed our hopes.?
‘That’s why they say, ‘it ain’t over until it’s over,?? he added.
The Lions are determined to be in the finals again this year, only it will be a tougher road this time around.
The team lost their three-year team and league MVP, David King, to graduation. King went 25-8 as the Lions? ace the last three seasons. He also led the team in hitting, with a .648 average in 2007.
In 2008, the Lions bring a young, but talented, pitching staff to try to fill the void. Sophomores Chris Hojnacki (5-0) and Matt Cameron (3-0) will be the top guns, with senior Zach Halleck as the closer.
Freshmen Connor Welby, Luke Combs and Jacob Gardner will also see plenty of time on the hill.
Speedy senior Ben Cuyler (.315) will cover center field, Matt Dobis will be in left and Danny Fisher in right. Freshmen Austin MacLeod, Logan McGuire and James Noruk will also see time in the outfield.
Halleck (.364) will anchor the infield at third base. Hojnacki (.339) and Cameron (.288) will alternate at first base when not pitching. Combs will be the utility infielder, while seeing some additional time at designated hitter.
From there, it gets a little gray for Coach Welby. With no true catcher on the roster, the backstop duties will be shared by middle infielders James Moreno (.484), Gardner (.316) and Welby (.353).
‘Someone has to step up and be my defensive captain,? the coach said. ‘The catchers, in our past, have always been the back-bone of our team. We have to find that with youth or Moreno (a junior), who has never caught before, but seems up to the challenge.?
The Lions begin their 32-game schedule (28 games on the road) on April 1 at Agape Christian School in Canton, and hope to finish at the MACS Championship on May 31.