Lake Orion is headed to baseball’s hallowed ground in Michigan.
The Dragons earned a trip to Battle Creek with a 3-2 victory over West Bloomfield Tuesday afternoon at Madison Heights Bishop Foley, scoring all three runs in the bottom of the fifth to overcome a two-run deficit.
With runners on second and third and two out, Brandon Riggsbee fouled off a half-dozen straight pitches before lining one up the middle for a two-RBI hit. Catcher Jake Gaudard doubled home Riggsbee two pitches later to give Lake Orion the lead.
Josh Deeg pitched 4 and 1/3 innings for LO and Jon Ruggeri tossed 2 and 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to get the win for the Dragons.
The key play defensively came in the top of the fifth, when Ruggeri barehanded a chopper and started a home to first double play to escape a bases-loaded jam.
With their first quartefinal victory in school history, LO has earned a date with Brighton in the semifinals on Friday. That game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Morrison Field. Farmington and Grandville will meet in the other semifinal.
For more on today’s game and what’s up next for the Dragons, come back to www.lakeorionreview.com tomorrow morning.