Even by the local hired-gun fastball pitcher standards of the fifties and sixties, this was impressive.

Led by a 16-strikeout performance on the mound from Luis Penuelas-Gonzalez, the Perry Island Hawks blanked the Northern Ontario Rebels in the men's division final of the recent Sudbury Fast-Pitch Classic in Garson.

Impressive is the fact that the 22 year-old flame thrower was flown in from Mexicali (Mexico) for the event, one of a small handful of appearances that Gonzalez is making for the Hawks as he tries to connect with a top-end fastball team in Canada.

In the remaining championship affairs, Sling Choker stormed back from an 8-3 deficit, downing the North Shore Thunder (2) 11-8 in the girls gold medal game while Base Invaders edged Super Stacked in the women's final.

The men's encounter remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Craig Brown delivered a key hit that would plate what would stand as the game-winning run as Perry Island finished the weekend with a flawless 5-0 record.

As for their new pitcher, the world of men's fastball can be a small one, even as it extends right across North America.

"We needed some help at some tournaments this summer and I asked one of my friends from down south (Ontario)," explained catcher and Perry Island contact Walter Tabobundung. "He had a friend who had played with Luis in California."

The Hawks will now prepare to host the Ontario Indigenous Fast-Pitch Tournament, just outside of Parry Sound, with 34 entries confirmed and then close out the summer by attending a tournament in Sagamok.

Following is the balance of the Hawks roster: Waas Pegahmagabow, Jeremiah Baker, Ben Walker, Deion Tabobondung, Wyatt Salt, Elliot Tabobondung, Caleb Williams, Braden Kahgee, pickup players Lionel Sully Solomon (Nawash First Nation) and Jordan Bennett (Sagamok First Nation) and guest pitchers Luis Penuelas-Gonzalez, Dalton Lewis (Saugeen First Nation) and Cody Simcoe (Rama First Nation).

No surprise that a pitcher was also central to the Sling Choker triumph as ace starter Ollie Lagrandeur held the Thunder in check through the final two innings after her team scored four in the bottom of three (trailing 8-7), and then added four more in the fourth for the win.

Lagrandeur received a nice helping hand defensively as Alex Lahnalampi came up with a momentum-changing grab at second with a pair of runners on base while first baseman Gracie Allair snagged a fly ball, doubling off a runner on first for a pair of key outs.

The Sling Choker team also features Aria Potter, Asteria Guindon, Chloe Dumoulin, Ella Tarini, Haylie Paul, Kameron Tellier, Nova Faubert, Penelope Tibble, Vanessa Scanlon and coaches Jeremy Potter (head coach), Andrea Dumoulin, Bill Tibble and Clinton Lahnalampi.