Cats swept

Eric Brown suffered a bit of a hiccup on Canada Day.

The city’s native son was hit hard in the second inning and surrendered the only three runs the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers would need to secure a 3-2 win and three-game series sweep over the Thunder Bay Border Cats.

The right-handed pitcher, off to Japan on July 21 to take part in the World University Games as part of Team Canada, said it wasn’t his best day on the mound.

“It was a struggle today. I struggled early with my mechanics and they put some good swings on some balls. I did what I could after that to keep it where it was and give us a chance to win,” said Brown, whose offense got good wood on the ball, but just couldn’t find the gaps to squeak a timely hit or two more through.

“We hit some balls really well today. That last inning it was three well hit balls right at guys in the outfield. Hopefully we’ll eliminate the bad innings and those will start falling,” Brown said.

Though his focus is still clearly with the Border Cats (11-16), the thought of Japan is sending shivers up and down his 21-year-old spine. Brown (2-1) said the opportunity came about through the 2009 World Baseball Challenge, where he figures he made an impression on the people putting together the 2010 University Games squad.

It turns out Brown’s University of British Columbia coaches were organizing the 2009 club and gave him a spot to prove what he could do on the international stage.

“One of my coaches is assisting on the team that’s going to Tokyo for the World University Games. I guess I made the short list and ended up making the cut through my performances at school and whatnot last summer,” Brown said.

Not a lot of baseball players get to represent their country, and Brown knows how special the Japanese tournament will be, even though he’ll have to leave his Thunder Bay Border Cats teammates behind. He’s currently tops among starters with a 1.29 ERA and has a team-high 25 strikeouts in six appearances.

It’ll be worth it, he thinks.

“Yeah, even last summer it was a small tournament in Prince George, but this is going to be an experience of a lifetime, I think,” Brown said. “It’s the best collegiate-age players all around the world. Last summer we played against Team US and Chinese Taipei – so all over the world. It’s exciting to see what you’ve got when you match yourself up against the best,” he said.

But for now he has to concentrate on helping the Border Cats right a sinking ship, having suffered four straight defeats, including three in a row by Brainerd.

That’s got manager Mike Steed very concerned, as time is running out in the first half and he doesn’t want to start the second half on a sour note.

“We’ve got to win games, there’s no doubt about that. I don’t care if it’s St. Mary’s of the Blind. When you start to win, it can snowball, good things happen and breaks start going your way. We’ll punch one across against Alexandria and we’ll start rolling in the second half,” Steed said.

Brown started this one on a high note, retiring the first three batters he faced. But the second inning was a different story.

Chadd Krist led off with a double, followed by a David Allbrittson walk. Hillsinger stole second and both men scoredon Russ Hopkins’s single.

The Cats responded an inning later, starting with Garfett Houts leadoff single to open the third. Sean Miller-Jones blasted a triple to right, but was stranded there when newcomer Ben Scheffer grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Brainerd starter Brian Russell left after three innings, having given up three hits and a run. Four reliever held the Cats to no-hit the Cats the rest of the way.

Thunder Bay scored its other run in the fifth. Houts walked, followed by another free pass issued to Miller Jones. Houts scored for the second time on a fly ball by  Tanner Nivins,

The Cats begin a three-game home series against Alexandia on Friday.