The Lake Orion Youth Baseball League (LOYBL) 10 and Under tournament team had a great season, winning all the tournaments in which they were entered.
The team, selected via tryouts from all of the LOYBL ‘house? teams, went 14-1 at the three tournaments. The 13 players were nine-and 10-years-old.
The Mayville Tournament was their first test, and they passed with flying colors. The Dragons first knocked off Montrose, 18-2. Their second game had them blanking Mayville, 17-0, and all 13 players had at least one hit.
Next up was the Birch Run 10’s and 9’s, and the Dragons had no problem beating both teams, 9-1. The last game was against an undefeated Frankenmuth team, but the Dragons had no problem winning the game, 12-2. This game featured the Dragon pitchers, who combined for 10 strikeouts and five innings, and a tournament win for Lake Orion.
The second tournament was in Millington, and again the Dragons dominated. Lake Orion started off the day by beating Flushing, 17-4. The second game proved tougher against Elba, and the Dragons came away with a 6-4 victory.
Frankenmuth was next, and the team had no problem in slugging their way to a 13-2 Lake Orion victory. Mayville and Millington also could not handle the Dragons? throwing, and went down 12-2, and 19-3, respectively.
The North Branch Tournament was the third and final one for the Dragons, proving to be the toughest. First up was Birch Run, and the Lake Orion bats were quiet most of the game.
The Dragons finally won, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning. The bats came alive in the next game against Otisville, and the Dragons won in 3 and 1/2 innings, 13-0. In the third game, the bats again were silent, and Almont defeated the team, 5-1, for the Dragons? only loss in 15 games.
Now Lake Orion was headed to the semifinals, where they had to face an undefeated Attica team. This game was a pitching duel until the fifth, when Attica scored five runs.
The Dragons fought back with three in the fifth, winning the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs.
Lake Orion pitchers struck out 12 batters, and the championship game again pitted an undefeated Almont team against Lake Orion.
Both teams came out slugging, with the Dragons holding on to win the game, 8-7, and becoming tournament champions.