Baseball District Preview

Written Saturday May 18th, at 3:12 PM

This district in baseball features five very solid teams. The Dragons and Wolves are state ranked teams. Oxford has given teams fits. Waterford Mott is always solid and has two good brothers who are going to go to some colleges. Waterford Kettering is young and did split with Clarkston this season, they will have nothing to lose.

The Dragons have had a somewhat of a disappointing season with seven losses but feature two left handed pitchers in Nick Deeg and Brad Schaenzer. The Dragons also have hitters as well in Nick Vogelmeyer, Josh Bays and Ryan Lambrecht and a deep lineup for Coach Andy Schramek. Lake Orion this season has had a tough non conference schedule and also the league in the Red is brutal as well.

Clarkston this season has not had the brutal schedule that the Dragons have went through but are right in it. The Wolves have the hitting led by Ryan Rea, Nick Mazzone, and Joe Popp and Joe Cox. Clarkston has two good pitchers in Ryan Slaughter and Alex Peck who will help them in the postseason. The Wolves are a very aggressive team and likes to steal bases. Clarkston will be a dangerous team to watch under Coach Phil Price.

Oxford is the sleeper here, with pitcher Nate Brubaker and some timely hitting could give teams problems. The Wildcats under Coach Jeff Willis will ride the arm of Brubaker along with Nate Morris and some timely hitting into the postseason.

Waterford Mott is yet another sleeper here. The Corsairs feature ace pitcher Trevor Bonniver. Bonniver is also the team’s best hitter along with his brother Todd Bonniver also is a star pitcher and shortstop who is another force. Waterford Mott will ride the Bonniver brothers along with Justice Bolling, Demetrius Lehman, and Riley McNabb to get them through in the postseason.

Waterford Kettering is a young team, who split with Clarkston this season feature shortstop and pitcher Andrew Demopolous along with junior first baseman Brett Reynolds and junior pitcher Avery Dudek

Baseball Projections:

Pre-District

Lake Orion vs. Waterford Mott:

The Corsairs were two outs away last season from upsetting Lake Orion from the playoffs. Don’t think Waterford Mott forgot about that. With the Bonniver brothers, Bolling, Lehman, and McNabb but going up against Deeg and Schaenzer is going to be a tough chore to handle. This game will be a close one like last season. If Waterford Mott upsets Lake Orion then they will be a force in the district final but in the end I think the Dragons will somehow escape with this one, closer than the experts think. PICK: LAKE ORION BY 1.

Projected Semifinals:

Lake Orion vs. Waterford Kettering

Clarkston vs. Oxford

Clarkston vs. Oxford:

This game will be a wild one. Oxford will have the pitching in this one with Morris and Brubaker to compete with the Wolves and if the Wildcats can keep the Wolves bats from going off then they will have a chance to pull off the huge upset but in the end I just think Clarkston has too much offense for Oxford to handle. This game will be all Wolves. PICK: CLARKSTON BY 6.

Lake Orion vs. Waterford Kettering

Waterford Kettering did split with Clarkston a few weeks ago but going up against the Dragons on its home field might not be good. PICK: LAKE ORION BY 10.

Projected District Final:

Lake Orion vs. Clarkston

This will be the rematch people will be talking about. Clarkston took one game at Orion the last time they met and the Dragons have had their way with the Wolves at that point. I just think with Deeg or Schaenzer on the mound it will be too much for Clarkston to handle but the Wolves will battle to the very end. PICK: LAKE ORION BY 3.