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Mississauga Arrows at the 2006 GHFL Playoff Tournament
September 9, Ker Park, Niagara Falls

Back row: Vince Oliver, Sheldon Stuckless, Drew Hathway, Andrew Hill, Tom Fortune, Paul Newman
Front row: Jeff Wilson, Mike Oliver, Rob Sampano, Mike Welton, Dwayne Schrader, Blair Setford
Absent: Chris McColl, Chris Oliver

After a disappointing season in which the Arrows won only three games, the team pulled it together for the GHFL playoff tournament, finishing fifth with a 4-2 record.

The Arrows opened with a 4-3 victory over the Morriston Coyotes, with Jeff Wilson picking up the win in relief of Chris McColl. After falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first, the Arrows rallied to tie the game in the top of the second and added two more in the fourth, hanging on for the win.

Next up was the defending GHFL champion Niagara Snappers. With a pair of ties against the Snappers during the season, the Arrows were in a confident frame of mind heading into Saturday morning. Drew Hathway started on the mound for the Arrows and kept the Snappers off the board through three complete innings. In the fourth, the Snappers scored a pair, which brought Wilson into the game to stem the tide. Meanwhile, the Arrows would squander chance after chance against Snapper starter Mike Bateman, eventually stranding a total of 11 runners. The Snappers scored three late runs to salt the game away. Final 5-0.

Moving into the loser's bracket, the Arrows faced newly crowned GHFL top pitcher Andy Hicks of St. Catharines Red Hot Chili Pepper. Hathway again started for the Arrows and, after giving up and early run, settled into a groove, keeping RHCP off balance and off the bases. The Arrows tied the game and one and then took advantage of some RHCP fielding miscues and timely hitting to put the game away 5-1.

The Arrows then played a tired Millgrove Smoke team who were on their fourth game of the day. Jeff Wilson tossed a 1-hitter, striking out 15 as the Arrows cruised to a 7-0 6-inning win.

Sunday morning saw the Arrows and Coyotes in a rematch. It was Drew Hathway's turn to throw a 1-hitter as he mixed in a devastating drop with a curve, rise and changeup to completely baffle the Coyotes. The bats struck early and often as the Arrows pulled out a five-run lead through five which ended up being the final.

Next up for the Arrows was last year's playoff nemesis, the Hamilton Hawks. Like 2005, the Hawks proved to be the undoing for the Arrows, grounding our season with a 4-0 loss.

Early in the season, the Arrows played in the prestigious Snapper Shootout for the second straight year and, again, came away with a 2-2 record.

Opening Friday night against the 2005 Ontario Challenge Cup winners Toronto Champion Indians, the Arrows trailed 2-0 most of the game, but rallied for two runs in the top of the 7th to tie the game, only to surrender the winning run in the bottom of the 7th to drop a 3-2 decision. Ryan Cummings was the hard luck loser to the Indians Steve Ketchell.

Saturday morning, the Arrows played the eventual southwestern Ontario ISC II qualifier champion Elora Wellington Brewers and scored an upset 3-1 win behind the solid pitching of Andy Hicks with Dwayne Singer getting the save.

Cummings was on the mound for the Arrows 5-0 win over Harrisburg, PA Pennsylvania Power, the 2005 ASA "C" national champion. With the win, the Arrows clinched the division title.

In the playoff round, the Arrows faced Oswego, NY Cutro Professional Inspections, a rematch from  last year's Shootout when CPI was McKie Sports. The Arrows took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Phil John home run. Andy Hicks kept CPI off balance, surrendering only one run until the 6th when Jorge Sepulveda slugged an opposite field two-run HR for the margin of victory. Rod Bunge picked up the win.

The Arrows also played in the early bird Millgrove tournament, again finishing 2-2. The Arrows opened with a 3-0 win over Mississauga Sox as Ryan Cummings got 17 of 18 outs via strikeout. The Arrows then mercied Hamilton Hustlers 7-0 as Andy Hicks pitched the shutout. Drew Hathway had a perfect game through four innings agains the Hamilton Hawks as the Arrows jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, only to have the Hawks come back to tie the game at 4. The tie saw the Arrows dropped to the B flight where they were stomped Sunday morning by Kitchener Phoenix Outlaws 9-1

The Arrows congratulate Mike Welton and Chris McColl on their second place finish at the ISC II Tournament of Champions with Palermo Athletics.

The Arrows look forward to 2007 and hope to see the return of Wilson along with Hathway on a full-time basis and also hope to see Ron Rosengren return after nearly a season-long hiatus.