St. Mary’s baseball travels to Dearborn Divine Child, 11 a.m., April 25

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

ORCHARD LAKE — For a young, struggling team, sometimes the best medicine available is the challenge of playing a significant favorite.

That’s exactly what the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s baseball team will do when it travels to Dearborn for a doubleheader with Divine Child, the defending Catholic League and Division 2 state champs, April 25.

“That’s a great rivalry we’ve put together over the years,” St. Mary’s coach Nick Di Ponio said. “It’s always good to play against DC. I know our guys are looking forward to it.”

The Eaglets are also looking forward to getting back on track.

A team loaded with youth, it was off to just a 2-5 start at press time, including an 0-4 mark in the Catholic League.

“Right now, we’re still struggling in some areas that I know we need time to correct,” Di Ponio said. “Our pitching is still coming along, and at the same time, we have a lot of younger guys playing some pretty important positions.”

So just how good could a positive afternoon be against a team like DC?

“To play well and come out of there with a win would do wonders for our guys right now,” Di Ponio said. “We’re playing in one of the best leagues in the state, and I don’t know if it’s ever been as strong as it is this year. To play well and get our confidence going, that’d be huge for our guys.”

You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.