SARNIA – Things started off well but didn’t end in Lambton’s favour in Game One.
Riley Brown (Brigden, Ont.) hit a solo shot in the first inning for his first collegiate home run, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Lions past the visiting Centennial Colts in the opener of their Saturday afternoon doubleheader.
The Colts picked up a 7-3 win, thanks in large part to a four-run fourth inning that gave them the lead for good.
After the Colts scored a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning, it didn’t take Brown long to get the Lions on the board in the bottom half. In fact, it took him just two pitches before he made his mark, taking Centennial starter Jack Middleton to deep left field and over the fence for his first-ever home run in OCAA competition.
For Brown, the home run carried even more significance than just being his first at the collegiate level.
“It was my first home run without my father here,” said Brown. “There were a lot of emotions going through my mind after that first at-bat.”
“It was pretty special.”
After Centennial stretched their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third, Brown did his best to bring the Lions back in the bottom half in his second at-bat. Brown ripped a triple to left field to lead off the bottom of the third inning and would later score on a double by Gavyn Vrbos-Clarkson (Jarvis, Ont.).
As the case has been on several occasions throughout the season thus far, one bad inning has done the Lions in on the scoreboard. On this day, it was the top of the fourth. An untimely error for the Lions with two outs kept the inning alive, and the Colts made them pay. Cameron James hit a bases loaded double that scored all three runners, capping off a four-run inning for the visitors that extended their lead to 7-2.
Kyle Fowler (Oil Springs, Ont.) got the monkey off his back at the plate, picking up an RBI single in the sixth inning to bring Lambton to within four, but that was as close as they would get.
Cole Hudson made the start on the mound for the Lions, throwing a complete game in the loss. Hudson picked up four strikeouts over his seven innings of work.