HUMBER 3, DURHAM 1

NORTH YORK, Ont. - The program has only competed for two years, but the Humber Hawks will be playing in the gold medal game for a second consecutive year in OCAA women's fastball. The Hawks upset the defending champion Durham Lords 3-1 Friday night at Newnham Field. The Hawks used steady pitching and clutch hitting in the late innings to stun the Lords.

Durham looked to draw on their experience as defending champions to overwhelm the Hawks early. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Samantha Bryant-Officer hit a deep fly ball to right centre field off of the webcasting tent for her first home run of the championship. The shot gave her team an early 1-0 lead.

The Lords looked to add to their lead in the third as three runners reached base in the inning.  Unfortunately for Durham, Sydney Kozuska was called out at third via force out and Bryant-Officer was stranded at third to end the inning.

Kayla MacLean was steady on the mound for the Lords through five, allowing just one hit. That changed in the sixth as Humber's Olivia Crossley led off the inning with a double to left. She moved over to third on a sacrifice by Jess Raymond and scored on a two-out double by Shawna Niskanen.

Jacqueline O'Quinn pitched a scoreless sixth for the Hawks to keep the game even. In the top of the seventh, O'Quinn led off with a single and moved to third with aggressive base running. Jessica O'Quinn hit a single to centre to drive in the go ahead run. The final run of the inning was scored by Kiley O'Conner who was driven home by Crossley.

Durham will play the St. Clair Saints at 10 a.m. Saturday morning with the loser being awarded the bronze medal and the winner meeting Humber for gold at 1 p.m.

Source: Seneca College