Sports Oakville Beaver By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2009 17 Young Hawks believe their time is now Loyola hands Trinity first loss of season Mark McIntyre and the Loyola Hawks are beginning to believe the future is now. Loyola has started the Halton high school baseball season with four wins in its first five games, the most impressive victory coming against the previously-undefeated Holy Trinity Titans Monday at Neyagawa Park. The Hawks collected seven hits in the opening three innings on their way to a comfortable 6-1 win, pulling into a four-way tie with the Iroquois Ridge Trailblazers, Assumption Crusaders and Titans for first place in the Volpe Division. McIntyre, who earned the victory Monday by pitching four innings of one-run, three-hit ball, said beating Trinity is a confidence-builder for the Hawks. "After a game like this, we know we can beat "We were actually any team," said the 15-year-old Grade 10 stuthinking the future dent. "At the beginning of the year, our first might be our time. goal was to make the playoffs. Now that we're Now that we've 4-1, our goal is to get a top seed. If we can reach played a few that (goal), we're thinking maybe a Halton championship. games this year McIntyre is one of eight Oakville A's minor and seen how well midget AAA rep players on the Loyola squad. we've done, we're "In the next few years we'll really turn into a looking at this year baseball school as the Grade 10s and 9s get as well." older and stronger," McIntyre said. "We were actually thinking the future might be our time. Loyola pitcher Now that we've played a few games this year Mark McIntyre and seen how well we've done, we're looking at this year as well." "It's a good young team," added Hawks coach Matt Griffin. "They know how to play the game. It's not like a bunch of guys who are football players and basketball players, trying to learn a new game. "We're not as big and strong as some teams, but it's not a game of size. ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER It's a game of execution." Strong pitching and a balanced offence have keyed Loyola's success so Loyola's Mark McIntyre held the Holy Trinity Titans to one run over four innings Monday, helping the Hawks down Trinity far this season. Seven of the nine Loyola starters had at least one base hit 6-1 in Halton high school baseball action. Monday, with all nine either scoring a run or driving one in. "We don't have anyone who can really change a game on their own," said McIntyre. "We have guys who can produce runs by bunting, stealing, hits and runs... just piecing together runs." A double mac attack led the Oakville Aquatic Club to Bullock (11), Mitchell Gour (13), Kent Kikot (15) and Hawks took advantage of Trinity miscues victory at the Dr. Ralph Hicken Invitational in Tera van Beilen (15). Bullock had three gold, four silTrinity actually scored the opening run of Monday's contest on Etobicoke. ver and a bronze; Gour earned three of each colour; Vincent Cambruzzi's sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Loyola Mack Darragh (15-year-old division) and Matthew Kikot (15) had three gold and six silver and van Beilen responded with two runs in the bottom of the second, as Sean Mac (11) each won seven gold and two silver medals to had three gold, two silver and a bronze. Connolly scored on a wild pitch and Matt Wood came home on a help OAK finish with 9,602 points, giving the club a Vera Johansson (13) claimed two golds, a silver and two-out single by Adrian Skakie. comfortable victory over the Toronto Swim Club, a bronze and Abbey Saunders (11) won a pair of gold The Hawks broke the game open in the third. McIntyre scored on which was second with 7,275 points. medals. Mika Spencer (14) won one gold, two silver another wild pitch, Patrick Griffin scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Marni Oldershaw (14) delivered a 10-medal per- and four bronze medals. Other gold medalists includDiMarco, and David Venturri was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to formance, including six gold, three silver and a bronze. ed: Annie Harrison (14, one gold, two silver); Holly force in Evan DiMichelle. Julie Calvert (15) earned five golds, three silvers and a Olsen (14, one gold, two silver); Erin Assman (16, one Jason Darichuk scored Loyola's other run in the fifth, stealing two bases bronze medal. gold, one silver); Curtis Samuel (18, one gold, one and coming home on a Trinity throwing error. Gamal Assaad matched Oldershaw's 10 medals, with bronze); Tomas Rincon pitched two hitless innings in relief of McIntyre, striking four gold, five silver and a bronze. Gold eluded Ho Bennett (11), but he did earn the out two. See OAK page 19 Earning three gold medals each were Nicole OAK wins Hicken Invitational title