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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2009 17 Blakelock well-armed for another Halton title Tigers led by provincial team pitcher Andreana By Jon Kuiperij outs in a game. Jessica Stanley, despite struggling a bit against Assumption Monday (three of the Crusaders' five runs It took until the last minute for the against her were unearned), joins Assumption Crusaders to come up with Andreana to give Blakelock arguably the their best plan of attack against Tina best pitching tandem in Halton. Andreana. "I've not seen too many (tandems) that "On a dropped third strike, run!" one of are better," said Tigers coach Ron Larose. the Assumption players called out to her Catching those two will be Gingerich, a teammate at the plate. Grade 11 rep player in her first season That strategy didn't work either, how- with the Tigers who had to sit out last seaever, as Andreana pumped the son after transferring to next pitch through the strike "If I'm not Blakelock from a Hamilton zone and into the glove of T.A. (pitching well), I school. Blakelock catcher Natalie kinda kick myself Last year's most valuable Gingerich. player, Kelly Hannivan, is in the butt. Most The game-ending strikeout back, as are twin sisters of these kids play was Andreana's 12th in the Michelle and Alex Saunders. four innings she pitched for fun. I'm Hannivan had a triple and Monday, helping the Tigers playing to get to scored three runs in Monday's open the season with a 12-5 the next level." opening game, while Michelle victory over the Crusaders in Saunders stroked a two-run Burlington. single in the first inning. T.A. Blakelock's None of the 13 Assumption Tina Andreana Grade 9 student Claire hitters Andreana faced manSteckle, a rep player with the aged to even put the ball in play against Oakville Angels, reached base in all four her. The lone Crusader to reach base in of her plate appearances Monday as Andreana's four innings did so the hard well. way, being hit by a pitch. "(Andreana) can hit the ball, Kelly As dominant as she was, Andreana was- Hannivan hits every time up to bat, the n't about to get too excited about it after- Saunders twins are heavy hitters, we have wards. Nerissa Kinsman (who had three hits in "I've been training for 10 years, so I've last year's Halton final against Holy got a bit of an advantage," she said "I Trinity)," said Larose. "We have six or should be (pitching) like this and if I'm seven rep players. not, I kinda kick myself in the butt. "I think, if all things work out evenly, "Most of these kids play for fun. I'm we should be on par with where we were playing to get to the next level." last year." The 18-year-old Andreana will play at Blakelock pounded the M.M. Robinson that next level this fall in the United Rams 11-0 Wednesday in Burlington, States, where she will suit up for Western improving to 2-0 on the season. The Texas College. Tigers will play their first home game of This summer, she will continue playing the season Monday, when they will host rep with her Brampton team as well as Assumption for a 3:30 p.m. start at competing in the Canada Summer Games Trafalgar Park. with Team Ontario. The three other Oakville teams in the But, for now, she's also focused on Halton girls' softball league -- St. Thomas helping the Tigers win their third straight Aquinas, Iroquois Ridge and Trinity -- Halton championship. were scheduled to open their seasons yesBlakelock seems very much up to the terday (Friday). Aquinas was home to task, thanks to the return of several other Acton, while Trinity visited Iroquois core players and the addition of a couple Ridge. new starters. All three squads will resume the season Perhaps the Tigers' biggest advantage Tuesday, as Trinity travels to Georgetown against other teams is the fact that they and Ridge is home to Aquinas at Glen boast two strong pitchers, a necessity in Ashton Park. Both contests are slated to softball since pitchers are limited to 12 begin at 3:30 p.m. BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER THE ACE: Blakelock's Tina Andreana, pictured running the bases during the Tigers' girls' softball game Wednesday against M.M. Robinson, struck out 12 of the 13 batters she faced in a season-opening victory over Assumption Monday. Young skater enjoys team, individual success Courtney Pritchard recently concluded a figure-skating season that included plenty of both team and individual success. Pritchard won the competitive singles gold medal in the juvenile ladies division at the Spring Fling event recently in Hamilton. She also was part of the Burlington Ice Image synchro team that won provincial gold and national silver in February. Ice Image competed in six meets this past season, earning medals in all six.