Two games were played in Whitefish on Wednesday night . In the opener , the Garson Hounds squeezed a 4-3 victory over the slumping Pickerel River Cardinals .Eric Abitong (3-0) in only his third outing of the season went all the way for the Hounds giving up 3 runs (all unearned ) on 3 base hits while striking out 11 batters and not issuing a single base on balls . Ed Brennan (0-4) went the distance in suffering his 4th loss of the season giving up 4 runs ( all earned ) on  9 hits while striking out 3 batters and issuing one base on balls . Eric Ace on a tear of late went 3 for 3 ( 2 runs batted in )  with his pitcher Abitong helping his own cause hitting 2 for 2 (double , two runs scored ,base on balls  while Pat Brennan Jr hit 1 for 3 ( double ,run scored ) in a losing cause for the Cardinals .

                                                               In the nightcap , new comer to the mound , Craig Brown , a regular short stop  helped his team to a convincing 9-1 victory over the Whitefish Lake First Nation Steelers . The win clinched third place for the Hawks . Brown (1-0) went the distance for his first win giving up one run (unearned) on 7 hits while fanning one batter and issuing two base on balls . He didn't use any finesse pitches but simply the usual drop ,curve ,rise and the occasional change up and let his infielders do the good defensive work . Al Guenette ( 3-4) started for the Steelers and suffered his 4th loss of the season and eventually gave way to Henry Nootchtai (0-1)  in the fourth .Both pitchers combined to give up  9 runs ( all earned ) on  16 hits while striking out 5 opponents and not issuing a single base on balls . Brown helped his own cause by going 3 for 3 at the dish ( 3 runs scored , 4 stolen bases to tie the league record for one game just established last week by Dan Quesnel of the Hounds ) with teammate Rich Jason hitting 2 for 3 (home run ,2 runs scored , 2 RBI's) and  Walter Sr Tobobondung also hitting 2 for 3 ( run scored ,RBI ) . Lance Curry of the Hawks hit a solo home run , his first of the season ( inside the park ) . Al Guenette hit 2 for 2 in a losing cause for the Steelers .

                                                               Play resumes Thursday night in Garson at the Lorne Brady Memorial Park when the  Pickerel River Cardinals take on the Sudbury North Stars at 7 PM followed by the nightcap under the lights at 9 PM when the Garson Hounds will face the surging Parry Island Hawks .

                                                               The final day for the first $100 non refundable amount to guarantee you a place in the 5TH Annual Northern Ontario Fastball Championship has come and gone but you still have a second option where you must send in the full amount on the final deadline date of August the 15th . There has been great interest in this year's tournament and we could be looking at 12 or more teams in the men's and 4 to 6 teams in the ladies . Hurry up and sign up before the final deadline of August 15th in 10 days from now .

                                                                Fastball fans don't forget to take in the Summer Games in Sudbury -ladies under 16 in Lively and men under 16 in Azilda from August the 11th to the 13th .