SUBMITTED PHOTO: Nick
Baljeu delivers a pitch
in Sarnia's home opener
The Sarnia Braves
started off their Can-Am
AAA League schedule with
a 7-1 win over the
Tecumseh Thunder
Saturday at Errol
Russell Park.
Starting pitcher
Nick Baljeu threw a
stellar five innings
of ball allowing one
run on six hits
while also striking
out six. Jeff Jones
came on in relief to
seal the win as the
righty struck out
six batters in two
innings, while
allowing no hits.
"This was a big win
for us in terms of
showing that we can
compete at the
highest level in
Ontario," says
Baljeu. "A lot of
preparation has went
into making our team
ready to give the
best teams in Canada
a run for their
money and this was
definitely a good
start. The more we
see of these teams
the better prepared
we will be for
Ontario AAA
Eliminations come
August and our goal
is to do well
there."
The Braves took the
lead in the first
inning as Wade
Babula singled, Alex
McLean walked and
James Grant singled
to load the bases
against Thunder
starting pitcher
Chris Horvath. All
three would come
into score with
Justin Randall, Greg
Sinclair and Russ
Muhlig all picking
up RBI.
Sarnia would add to
their lead in the
second inning as
Babula and Grant
would score again,
this time off of a
three-run homerun
from the bat of
Randall. Sarnia
would add their
seventh run in the
third inning as
Muhlig would come
into score on a
Grant single up the
middle.
"We looked really
comfortable at the
plate and that was a
question mark coming
into the game," said
Braves coach Scott
Finnie. "We executed
defensively and our
bats were able to
take the pressure
off us early. It
feels great to get
our first win in the
Can-Am League out of
the way. Hopefully
we can bare down and
continue to play the
type of baseball we
did today for the
rest of the summer."
Sarnia finished the
game with seven hits
and eight base on
balls. Grant and
Babula had two hits
apiece while
Randall, Tyler Young
and Mike Damchuk
each had one.