Published: July 02, 2008 11:26 pm         

BASEBALL: Lockport’s Brownsten shines as Webster thumps Niagara

NIAGARA FALLS — It’s the same old story for the Niagara Power. More walks, more hits allowed and more errors. Mix in a dormant offense and it equals a fifth straight loss for the second-year franchise.

Visiting Webster scored seven runs in the first two innings and cruised to an easy 10-1 New York Collegiate Baseball League win over the Power at Sal Maglie Stadium Wednesday in front of 147 fans. Niagara (6-14) is now 10 1/2 games out of first place and in danger of falling into last place in the Western Division.

“Right now we’re not having fun and we’re not confident at all,” Niagara manager Sam Kirby said. “I guess I’m going to try to change my approach a little bit and remind these guys that this game can be fun and when you’re having fun, you become much more confident. And we certainly could use some confidence right now.”

The Yankees (8-10) dashed any confidence that may have previously been there early and often as they scored twice in the opening frame. Webster capitalized on a Tyson Leighton error and got an RBI double from T.J. Baumet.

Then in the second frame, Power starter Chris Kuenzle hit the wall. The southpaw walked three batters and allowed three singles before getting yanked in favor of Harrison Helms. The former Niagara University hurler allowed a two-run bloop single off the bat of Lockport resident and Webster catcher Cory Brownsten to cap a five-run inning. Brownsten, a University of Pittsburgh signee, also picked a runner off at second base and threw out a would-be basestealer.

Helms settled in nicely, though, allowing only one run over his five innings of relief. But the Power bats did him no favors as they mustered only four hits through the first eight innings off Webster pitchers Dustin Raimey and Jake Vernath.

“When you get down early like that, it takes you out of your style of baseball,” Kirby said. “We like to play small ball and when you’re down seven after two innings, you need to start hoping for a few gappers to get things rolling and we didn’t get that. We’re just not that type of team.”

Webster added one each in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames to take a 10-0 lead to the ninth, when Niagara would finally get on the board. Ben Lillis, who made his first appearance as a member of the Power, drove in defensive replacement Geoff Ball for Niagara’s lone run.

The Power will play road games today and Saturday before taking Sunday and Monday off for the NYCBL All-Star Game in Watertown. Niagara is also off Friday in observance of Independence Day.