SWEET 16: DURHAM WINS OCAA WOMEN'S FASTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

OSHAWA, Ont. – Durham College won the gold medal at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Fastball Championship on Saturday afternoon with a 7-1 victory over the Humber Hawks in the finals.
 
The gold medal victory marks the Lords second consecutive OCAA title and 16th overall, the most of any college in the OCAA.
 
For the first time since 2007, it was not a Durham/St. Clair final as Humber defeated the Saints 12-7 to advance to the gold medal game.

In the gold medal finals against Humber, the Lords turned to Shannon Galea on the mound. The Oshawa native pitched a gem, allowing only one run on four hits, while striking out seven Humber batters. Galea was named the championship top pitcher for her gold medal performance.

Durham scored three runs in the first inning and added four insurance runs in the sixth inning to win by a final score of 7-1.
 
Brittany Bell was named the overall championship MVP. The Lords freshman had a .714 batting average and was 2-for-3 in the finals with two runs scored.
 
Shannon Ferguson went 2-for-3 in the gold medal game and was named the championship top batter after going 6-for-9 in Durham's three wins. One year prior, Ferguson was named the championship MVP.
 
Erin McConkey broke things open for the Lords in the sixth inning of the finals with a two run home run over the right field fence.
 
Quinn Hall was the Hawks top batter with two hits in the championship game. Shelby Robblee had a solid pitching performance, pitching six innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits.
 
Head coach of the Lords Jim Nemish, who picked up his 13th OCAA Championship with the Lords, said he was proud of his young team that featured only four returnees from last year's gold medal winning squad.
 
The Lords were perfect in OCAA action throughout the season, going 11-0 during the regular season and championship. The 2011 squad also won bronze for the second consecutive year at the Canadian Intercollegiate Women's Fastpitch National Championship.

Humber advanced to the gold medal game after defeating the St. Clair Saints 12-7 earlier in the day. This is Humber's first medal in OCAA women's fastball history.
 
Sam Prenger went 3-for-3 with three RBI's in the qualifying game while teammate Shawn Niskanen was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI's. Jess O'Quinn earned the win pitching three innings and allowing four St. Clair runs.
 
The bronze medal by St. Clair marks their seventh consecutive medal at the OCAA Women's Fastball Championship.

OCAA CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Game 1: Durham defeated Humber 2-0
Game 2: St. Clair defeated Seneca 10-2
Game 3: Humber defeated Seneca 13-6
Game 4: Durham defeated St. Clair 9-3

Bronze Medal Game
Humber defeated St. Clair 12-7

Gold Medal Game
Durham defeated Humber 7-1

Championship MVP: Brittany Bell, Durham
Championship Top Pitcher: Shannon Galea, Durham
Championship Top Batter: Shannon Ferguson, Durham

Source: Durham College