Softball extends win streak to five with sweep of Mohawk

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE – Humber Softball (17-3, 3rd OCAA) swept the Mohawk Mountaineers (6-12, 5th OCAA) in a doubleheader Sunday evening at Connorvale Park. Rilee Devries led the Hawks on the dish, recording nine RBIs in the twin bill. Humber's pitching staff was lights out once again, finishing with 21 strikeouts in ten innings of work. 

Game One (Humber Hawks 11, Mohawk Mountaineers 1 – 5 innings) 

Rookie Shade Hansen came out hot, recording three strikeouts and allowing no runs in the top of the first. After a scoreless inning, it was time for the Hawks to start rolling. 

Rilee Devries got to the box and crushed a one-run double to deep center field, sending Alexis Ferreira home and adding the first run for the Hawks. Hannah Koziolek would still double to left field to drive Devries home safely before the end of the first. Humber led 2-0. 

In the following inning, Hansen would make quick work of Mohawk's batters striking out the lineup. 

After two wild-pitch runs for Humber, Rilee Devries stayed hot and smashed a two-RBI triple to deep right field, sending Alexis Ferreira and Reese Velocci home. She would not be left behind, thanks to Michaela Tuck's sacrifice fly. The Hawks would leave the inning up 7-0. 

Mohawk would get its only run of the game in the third inning when Ashlee LaForme bunted for a base hit. Hansen's throw got by the first baseman, allowing Kerri Smith to score from second base.

The Hawks would score two more runs before Reese Velocci wrapped up the game by crushing a two-run single to right field. The mercy rule would come into play as Humber secured the win, 11-1. 

Game Two (Humber Hawks 12, Mohawk Mountaineers 2 – 5 innings) 

With the sunset, the Mountaineers wanted to raise the temperature and started game two with a bang. Kayla Makowich came out of the gate, hitting her first home run of the season, putting Mohawk ahead on the board. 

With the bases loaded, Rilee Devries made quick work of Mohawk's pitcher and calmly smashed a grand slam to give the Hawks the lead for good. Angelina Bomberry would add two more runs for the Hawks after hitting a two-run double to center field. The Hawks scored another run and left the inning up 7-1. 

In the third inning, Melissa Hahnfeld would step into the dish to crush her second home run of the season and drive Amelia Russo home. Shea Hilpert would get home safe after Alexis Ferreira's single to left field. Humber Softball left the third up 10-1. 

In the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers added the second run to the board after Ella Busch's RBI single. Mohawk had players in the corners, but Meagan Muir was all business in the circle, striking out two hitters and stopping the Mountaineers from scoring. 

Humber Softball would score one more run before Meagan Muir rolled through the lineup in the fifth. The Hawks walked off with Rilee Devries' RBI single and swept the doubleheader against the Mohawk Mountaineers, 12-2.

Humber Highlights

• Shade Hansen needs one more win to tie Myranda Pierson's (2015) program record of 10.
• The Hawks improve to 36-4 all-time against the Mountaineers - including 16 consecutive regular season victories.
• Rilee Devries sits four RBIs shy of Elisa Gregoris' program record of 37, set in 2018.
• Senior Alexis Ferreira has recorded a hit in 17 of 18 games this season, and her .544 batting average is the third-best mark in team history.
• Shade Hansen's 117 strikeouts is more than seven OCAA teams have from their entire pitching staffs.

What's Next?

The Hawks will head to Victoria, British Columbia, to kick off their national journey against the defending national champion St. Clair Saints (18-2, 1^st OCAA) on Oct. 6 at Langford Centennial Park. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.