Detroit

Paying off

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore senior works way to MVP honor

DETROIT — After a regular season that earned him Macomb Area Conference White Division MVP honors, it was only fitting that Travis Brown got to represent the St. Clair Shores Lake Shore baseball team at the 2009 Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association’s East-West All-Star Game.

“It feels good to be recognized as one of the top guys in your league and state,” Brown said after the East’s 11-4 loss June 16 at Comerica Park.  “There’s a lot of really good players in our league and state, so it’s really cool.”

Brown batted .429 with five home runs and 32 RBIs with a .540 on-base percentage. As a pitcher, he was 7-2 with a 2.61 ERA.

“I put more work in this offseason,” Brown said of what made the difference for him. “I really wanted to be in good shape, and that really paid off.”

Hard work was key for a Lake Shore team that was moved to the MAC White this year after winning back-to-back MAC Blue titles.

“What got us mad was not a lot of people believed in us,” Brown said. “We worked hard, and we surprised a lot of people.”

Brown was also named to the Division 2 All-State second team and will play baseball for Kaskaskia College in Centralia Ill. Former Lake Shore standout Brett Mazmanian also plays for Kaskaskia.

Brown hopes that players like Lake Shore junior outfielder Danny Carroll, who led the Shorians in hitting with a .520 average, can maintain the level of success Lake Shore has become accustom to — and maybe even bring home an MVP award of his own.

“Keep working and don’t get hurt playing football,” was the advice Brown offered Carroll.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.