e Canadian Champion, Friday, June 2, 2006 - A21 Mighty memorable playoff run for Mustangs Dit~t c~ppud Wîdl tiai 10W tiLle ioss Lv insh HE'S IN THERE By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Two big wtns and an even bigger moral vlctory. Thats what Milton Districts basebaîl team cnjoycd this past week, in the most memorable playoff drive smnce its Blue Jay Cup championship mn of 1996. Thîngs couldn't have been any more eventful for this spnng's Mustangs, who with home-fîeld advantage Monday and Tuesday dismantled cross-town rival Bishop Redng 12-1 and upset Burlingions M.M. Robinson 6-5 - with a sixth-tnntng, two-mn blast by Ryan Bauer - to reach the Halton final for the first time in a decade. And while not vtctorious in the regional championship at Burlington's Nelson Stadium Wednesday altemoon, a 2-0 loss to the powerhouse defendîng champion Notre Dame Fighting lrish was more than many expected from the underdog Mustangs. After alI, Notre Dame had steam- rolled through everyone this season, averaged about nine mns a game and laid waste to Nelson (9-0) and lroquois Ridge (12-2) in quarterfinal and semifi- nal play after a perfect regular season. Providing the lnsh with their only legitimate test to date offered a noth- ing-to-sneeze-at' consolation for the Mustangs, who gave up just four bits and a walk to their heavily-favoured and offensively-potent championshîp nvals. "This is one of the best games Ive ever played in and l'm just happy to have been here," said startîng pitcher Chris Shadlock. who kept Notre Dame scoreless through the fîrst four inntngs I with only one hit and a walk agatnst him. Added skipper Ted Anderson, "We played well agaînst these guys, but it just shows you how costly one bad Înning can The MD coach was referring to his team's brief lapse in the bottom of the sixth that gave the lnsb the opening they needed to break a scoreless stale- mate and reclaim their regional crown. Gîven new lîfe after bis pop-up foui was dropped, Notre Dame outfielder Mark Surya behed a single to centre fielder to ignite a three-hit, two mn surge tbat proved to be the dîfference. Mustangs catcher Brandon Banaschewski would provide short- lived hope for a comeback with their only bit of the game - a lead-off single to shallow left field - before the lrish delivered their second double play of the aftemoon and managed a routine ground out to put the finîshîng touches on their Milton adversaries. Workîng the mound for the third time in as many days, Sbadlock and reliever Scott McTrach matched coun- terparts Kyle Bolton andJosh Robinson nearly throw-for-throw in a topnotch piîching duel, while MD was llawless in the field. Defensive efforts were high- lighted with a couple of huge snags by centre fielder Jason Brooks. In one of the most decisive measures of pay-back seen in local basebaîl cir- des in recent memory the Mustangs avenged last year's quarterfinal loss to Bishop Reding Monday with a 10-mn outburst tn the third inning that allowed tbem to mercy the Royals in the minimum five frames. Jon Jeysman bad îwo RBI triples in the lopsîded affair. Mustang Jon Jeysman sildes safely intothird base-as Bîshop Reding's Brian Hunter cant corne up with the bail - during Milton Districts 12- i quarterfînal romp 0f its crosstown rival at Brian BesI Park Monday afternoon. GRAHAM PAINt I CANADIAN CHAMPION iA~L 'g ~'saIe WE BOUGHT BIG, YOU SAVE BIG! ~ur sof as, chairs, sectionals tables and occessodes are on sale. ~ there's no place like yo~r (i1'('iPhome