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Al 4 - The Canadian Champion, Wed, Aug 13, 2008 SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC e-mail sIebIanc@mitoncaladIalchampIOl.com Slugger hoping to ielp Hawks soar 1 GRAHAM PAINE / CANADIAN CHAMPION A BIG HIT: Katarina Del Rosso is hoping to deliver at the plate this week, as her novice Hawks head int national championship play. Junior Red Sox ous.ted. in COBA semifinal Tbis pasi weekend's îbundersbowers put a serinus season play was still ratber surpnsing, it wasn't quille as dis- damper on the Central Ontario Basebaîl Associations junior appointing as it would bave bren under an ideaîîy-mun tour- playdowns. nament. A number of trams bad already opîrd oui of tbe league "Yeab il didn'î rrally mean as mucb ibis year," saîd man- inurnament, and a few bravy downpours took any ,. ager Glenn Turner. remaining lustre oui of ibis year's competition - ai U~~\ lnablr toi take advanîage of Erindale's sub-par leasi for tbe Red Sox. f 1 ý piîcbing and fielding, Milton lefi Il runners on Normalîy a double-knockout tournament, the base in tbe narrow seiliinal defeat. COBA playdnwns underwent a series of 1A measîy one-bit campaign marred some fairly io t ai eknd, whesibenall vsan Mton fa- affode Ertcinale aoh Brdy-apnda ertb M to abe ioptu th aend, c quesiio al revisionstougba-1 sfrng piîcingal baob Bih radya e Mbe andth ing lowly Erindale in semifinal action Sunday nigbî final. ai Clarkson - the only field sùl1 playable. Much more impressive before ilhe storm bit Saîurday, The Red Sox bad played onîy one other game on tbe Milton got four perfect innîngs from Scott McTracb and weekend - an 8-0 dismantling of eventual finalisi Oakvilîe enjoyed a baîanced aîtack to dump Oakville. Saîurday miorning - and had to wait around îwo boues Craig Howse essenuiaîly put tbe game oui of rracb wîtb a before facîng tbe Cardinals for a trip toi tbe cbampionsbip. two-run double in tbe sixtb, wbiîe a strong defensive effort Needless to say tbe sîeam bad gone oui of the wrekend facîored braviîy mbt tbe lopsidrd victory as well. before îbey even sîrpped onto tbe field. Tbe Red Sox cap 2008 play ibis weekend ai tbe six-tramn So wbile a 4-2 loss to a tram îhey'd domînaîrd in regular- OBA 'B' cbampionsbip in Cbatbam. PLAlY ITflGflif NOW OPEN 40 anSt.MIMA t o - 905 f84-988 p-iasmi~ Itn lo C i Del Rossoý novice fastpitch team to compete in this weeký nationals By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF K atarina Del Rosso basn't just been a big bit with ber Halton His Hawks, but a timely one as well. Recently developing into a clutch performer at the plate, tbe 14-year-old Miltonian is part of wby tbe neigbbouning novice girls' fast-pitch îeam flot only finds itself as a partici- pant at tbis week's Canadian cbampionsbips in Montreal, but a medal favourite to boni. "I've never been to anytbîng lîke tbis before. Its going to be awesome," said Del Rosso, before beading out for tbe naîionale, at wbîcb ber club Is ranked second. 'in rcally excited." Not content to merely qualîfy for tbe 12-train sbowcase -wbicb gets underway toda (Wednesday) - tbe H awks grabbed tbe second of five bertbs allotted for Ontario wiib a silver-medal perfornance ai tbe rerent provincial cbampi- onsbips in Guelpb. Halton HuIs would gel baînmered in its firsi and final games by tbe powerbouse bost Gutelpb Gators, but prevaîled in ail otber outings - tbanks in no small part to Del Rosso. Sbe'd bigbligbt tbe weekend wiib a buge effort in round- robin play agaînsi Stratford, witb a îwo-out triple and two- out single accouniing for aIl] of the nons in a 5-4 nail biter. Iwo games laier sbe'd corne îbrough witb a pair of bits and an RBI in a 7-2 semnifînal decision over ibe Oakville Angels - wiîb wbom sbe'd onigînally tnied oui for last fal. "I juot got into a groove (I provincials). 1 guess I've always been a good bitter and now Fra out of my slunsp," said Del Rosso, referring toi a mid-season dry speil. Added Hawks coacb Ian McLaugblin, "Kats definîîely bad some timely bits lor us. In tbe past monîb or so sbe's been pretty consistent." 0f course tbe clubs lone Miltonian bas coniribuird ai more iban just tbe plate. "Tbis is tbe lime wben bitîing catcbes up to, pitcbing, and witb mostly nigbî-banded batters Kat gets a lot of balîs bit ber way in left. Sbe's quite solid oui tbere," said McLaughlin. The Hawks certainly bope tbat continues ibis week, as tbey look for a Imucb-anticipaied gold-medal remaîcb witb tbe Gators. "Tbat wouîd be great. We've got a real cbance to do il; Ile got tbe besi teammaîrs and coacbes," said Del Rosso, wbose faîber, Sandro, is an assistant coacb witb tbe team. Tbe îop-seeded îeam for uts division, Halton Hills kicks off round-robin play ibis afiernoon againsi tbe bosi Lions Lac Si-Louis. Cbampîonsbip play os slaîed for Sunday L~~l b(S m '~ i i - ZZNu ii EiL.I MU TU Peace-of-Mind Oas Engine Maintenance Maintenance Service Tune Up M 3 Up to 5 lites of 5W30/5W20 pU 3Mopat ol tpdItet ttoîCOî 3Mopar oti file 5 up hottIo hanM 3 Rotatonoft4 tires 3 Check chrgn 0ySer 3 PeaCe-Mind InSPection Of 3 OO Eiso hk.s cooling system, ail f100d leeUs, 3 npect OoetV tery and ecfetiCt battins test, front and t nssiontott sstott tnsPROnt e trot btake sYstena, exhaost sYSttee.3 Peetoe do ost'o t'ona suspension system 3 ilispect drive 0H30s