JETHAWK REPORT : Brundage Is Seeking Revenge

When the JetHawks begin a six-game series tonight against the Lake Elsinore Storm--three at home, then three in Lake Elsinore--it will bring back nasty memories for JetHawk Manager Dave Brundage.

Last season, when Brundage managed the Seattle Mariners’ Cal League affiliate in Riverside, his team had a similar six-game stretch against Lake Elsinore. The Pilots lost all six, falling from four games atop the Southern Division to two games behind late in the first half.

This time the fourth-place JetHawks trail Lake Elsinore, by six games before the Storm played Visalia Thursday night.

“I’d sure like to turn the tables on them,” Brundage said. “I’d like to let them have the same feeling I had last year.”

Those six games were a wakeup call for Brundage.

“I was thinking managing was pretty easy at that time,” he said. “It was my first year. We were playing good, in first place, four games up. I thought it was easy. I’d just throw out the bats and balls and that’s all.”

Now he knows better.

“That was the start of my sleepless nights,” he said.

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Last year’s series doesn’t seem to have had the same impact on two of the five JetHawks who were with Riverside for the Lake Elsinore debacle.

“There’s no revenge factor,” said pitcher Brett Hinchliffe. “It’s a new year, a new club, a new city.”

And Scott Smith, who was a platoon outfielder last year, didn’t even remember the games.

“I probably didn’t play,” he said.

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Tonight’s Game:

Lake Elsinore (Brian Cooper, 7-8, 4.11) at JetHawks (Ken Cloude, 13-4, 4.62), 7:15.