Adams knocks out Lake Orion
OPEN ARMS: Rochester Adams' Alex Taylor (No. 8) celebrates with pitcher Matt Nestor following the Highlanders' 12-9 victory Tuesday over Lake Orion in a Division 1 pre-district. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — After winning the OAA Red Division title last season, Rochester Adams felt the blow of graduating two-thirds of its team and playing in perhaps the state’s deepest league.
Facing countless rivals throughout the season, the pain of rebuilding became even worse as the Highlanders were dealt numerous losses, including some games where they held the lead.
Perhaps the state tournament will serve as the Highlanders’ redemption tour.
Adams, normally one of the better teams in Oakland County with a deep tradition that includes three trips to the Final Four, opened up the 2011 Division 1 baseball state tournament and recorded a huge win with a 12-9 triumph Tuesday over host Lake Orion in a pre-district contest.
Adams, district and regional champions and a state quarterfinalist last season, advance to Saturday’s district semifinal at Romeo, where they will take on OAA-Red champion Rochester Stoney Creek. The host Bulldogs and Oxford will face in the second semifinal.
BACK IN TIME: Lake Orion's Austin Voydanoff No. 5) tries to apply the late tag to Rochester Adams' Jordan Gowman (No. 13) during Tuesday's pre-district contest. Stff Photo | Dan Stickradt
First-year Adams coach Jeff Hall felt his team is quite capable of springing some upsets and making a run.
“We started looking at (the draws) three weeks ago,” smiled Hall. “We were under .500, but we knew with (senior Matt) Nestor on the mound, we had a chance to beat anybody. I knew we could beat teams.”
When facing Lake Orion in the regular season, the Highlanders dropped both contests. The first Adams held an 8-1 lead only to see Lake Orion rally for a 9-8 win. Lake Orion also won the second meeting, 12-2.
Lake Orion (25-7) led 5-1 through three innings of play, but yielded a pair of big innings to the Highlanders’ bats, as Adams (13-13) eventually gained the advantage for an 12-5 lead. Lake Orion closed to within 12-9 with two out and the tying run on deck before closer Sean Beyer struck out the Dragons’ Adam Yee to end the threat.
TRY MY CURVE: Rochester Adams lefty Matt Nestor fires this pitch during Tuesday's pre-district with Lake Orion. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Beyer came in with one out and one on and gave up four runs and four hits before closing the door. Nestor, headed for Western Michigan, pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win, giving up five runs in three innings before settling down in temperatures in the low 90s.
“I’m a senior and I wanted to pitch more baseball,” offered Nestor. “I knew when they scored those four runs in the (fourth) inning, it was a new ballgame — new game and a fresh start. I didn’t have my stuff today, but I did what I could (to win). Hopefully, I can come back and pitch stronger on Saturday.”
Bret Wyss belted a pair of two-run home runs, his first two round-trippers of the season, and Dalton Oveson also went yard with a solo shot as the Dragons took advantage of an out-blowing wind to take a 5-1 lead through three innings. Lake Orion did not score again until the seventh, which included RBI hits from Wyss (single), Nick Deeg (double), Roman Kuster (groundout) and Dalton Oveson (single).
Adams eventually chased Deeg, Orion’s starter, after he surrendered four runs in the fourth. Reliever Cody Campbell, who pitched a no-hitter four days earlier against Troy Athens, didn’t have much luck, either, as he also surrendered a run. In the frame, Adams had just one hit but had four batters reach base by walk, two with the bases loaded, and another reached on an error for a 6-5 lead — a lead the Highlanders would not relinquish.
SPECIAL DELIVERY: Lake Orion's Nick Deeg lets this ptich fly during the third inning of Tuesday's Division 1 pre-district contest. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Two runs scored when Nestor reach on an error, Sean Geraci and Alex Taylor had RBI walks and another run scored when Ian Mercer reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Adams tacked on two more runs in the fifth as both Corey Clemons and Matt Williams provided RBI doubles in the frame. In the sixth, Tony Anese walked and later scored on a wild pitch, Taylor supplied a solo shot, Chris Busa added an RBI single and Williams added another RBI for the Highlanders to go up seven at 12-5. Taylor had another solo home run earlier in the game.
Lake Orion, which had perhaps the league’s deepest pitching staff, gave up double-digits for runs, a rarity this season. Lake Orion coach Andy Schramek didn’t feel his pitchers were overworked despite playing six games the previous week.
“(The guys that pitched) had as much rest as they have had all season,” he said. “The kids didn’t have a second pitch or a third pitch. Once they knew they were going to get fastballs, they put some pretty darn good swings on it.
“Congratulations to Adams. They played a great game today. They could have put their heads down after a couple of innings but they didn’t,” added Schramek. “We’ll salute our lineup, because they did a good job against a very good pitcher.”
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Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Lake Orion, Prep Wraps, Rochester Adams
