The Rochester Hills Adams baseball team could use Tony Annese right about now.

The D1 Cinderella Highlanders are facing favored Hartland on Saturday in the regional semifinals, a squad that features a vaunted pitching staff, and the presence of Annese, last season's all-conference lead-off man, would be a big help.

However, unfortunately for skipper Jeff Hall and his club, Annese, who will be playing football this fall in college at Central Michigan, had to transfer back to Hartland, his original high school, in order to be able to acquire enough credits to graduate.

Annese was at Hartland as a freshman and sophomore before coming over to Adams in 2010 and setting the gridiron on fire with his electrifying antics with the pigskin in his hands the past two seasons. Establishing himself as his new school's star field general, running back and free safety, he navigated the Highlanders to back-to-back playoff appearances being named all-state in both his junior and senior seasons.

He never played any varsity sports while at Hartland during his years as an underclassmen, however he is currently on the Eagles diamond brigade preparing to face-off with his old classmates at Adams on Saturday.

Hall and the Highlanders had an up-and-down campaign this spring without Annese in the lineup, yet found the zone in districts and pulled a major upset against OAA Blue champ Auburn Hills Avondale in the district championship game.

Last season on the baseball field, Annese hit .401 – sporting a .654 on-base percentage – with 35 stolen bases. The fact that Adams will be missing his talent on the base paths against Hartland on Saturday could easily wind up the difference between advancing in the state tournament and not.

That said, Burney still thinks the Highlanders, led by their SULTANS OF SWATS in senior SILVER SLUGGERS Alex Taylor and Alex Borglin, has a legitimate puncher's shot at downing Hartland and continuing their magical run in the 2012 BIG DANCE!

Go get'em fellas!!