Blake boys focus on world ‘business’

When Steve Blake’s Calgary Centennial squad took the field for warm-ups prior to Thursday’s Canadian junior little league final in Lethbridge, he could see it in their eyes. They were all business. They had the look of a team unwilling to be denied.

And he was right. It took the Calgary lads just five innings to complete a 14-2 dismantling of Thunder Bay to earn the right to represent the nation at the junior little league world series in Michigan starting this weekend. Needless to say, the local team of 14-year-olds was ecstatic afterward.

“There was stuff everywhere,” reported Blake, the squad’s manager. “It looked like a baseball yard sale. I don’t know if any of the boys have touched the ground yet.”

Which, he’s hoping, they eventually do, considering his Centennial team has an early flight to Windsor this morning before heading to Taylor, Mich., in time for Saturday’s opening ceremonies.

“I’m hoping the boys can get some sleep because it’s a quick turnaround.”

Calgary will be one of five teams in the International Division, going against teams from Chinese Taipei, Mexico, Italy and Aruba. The locals’ first game is Sunday, 6:15 MT vs. Mexico. There are also five teams in the U.S. division.

“The opportunity these kids are going to have representing Canada is unbelievable,” said Blake. “It’s something we’ve all dreamed about.”

Against Thunder Bay, ace pitcher Jarod McAusland took to the mound ready to slow down an Ontario squad that had raced to the final by scoring 26 runs in its two previous games. Buoyed by an early 5-0 lead in the first inning, he made it stick with six strikeouts in a complete game of work. Thunder Bay wound up with as many errors as hits (four) and limped off the field after a five-inning mercy rule.