TORONTO - In just their second year of existence, the Humber Hawks have won the 2012 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Fastball Championship.
Humber defeated two-time defending champion Durham 8-3 in the gold medal game. It was Humber's second win over Durham in as many days, following a 3-1 win that sent the Hawks to the finale. Humber opened the tournament with a 12-3 victory over eventual bronze medalist St. Clair.
The double-knockout tournament was hosted by Seneca College in North York, Ont.
Humber got things going early in the first when
Jacqueline O'Quinn (Etobicoke) reached on an error
for the game's first batter. O'Quinn advanced to third on a single
to centre by Kelsey Bardy (Caledon). OCAA player
of the year Jessica O'Quinn (Etobicoke) helped
load the bases with Olivia Crossley (Brampton) at
the plate and two outs. Crossley hit a two-run single to give the
Hawks an early lead. Shelby Robblee (Woodstock)
completed the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single to
left field.
The Lords came back in the bottom of the first with two runs of
their own. Melissa Semeniuk (Ajax) walked to lead
off the inning. Kayla MacLean (Whitby), who was
later called out at second on a fielder's choice, moved Semeniuk to
second. Semeniuk, would move over to third on the fielder's choice,
was sent home on the RBI single by Janna Hagan
(Sherwood Park, Alta.). Pinch runner Charlotte
Ciehanskie (Whitby) scored the second run for Durham.
The game would remain 3-2 until the fifth when Humber struck for
two runs. Shawna Niskanen (East York) led off with
a single and scored on a single by Bardy. The second run of the
inning was scored by Bardy.
Durham once again tried to battle back in the bottom half of the
inning. Semeniuk hit a double to the gap in right centre to lead
off the inning. MacLean moved the runner over to third in her
at-bat before Samantha Bryant-Officer (Mount
Forest) drove in the final run for the Lords.
The Hawks would score three more runs in the top of the sixth for
a commander 8-3 lead with Bardy picking up another RBI and Niskanen
driving in two runs.
Bardy went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs while
Niskanen and Crossley each added two hits and two RBIs for the
Hawks. Both Bryant-Officer and Hagen batted 2-for-4 with an RBI for
the Lords.
Humber's Bardy was named tournament MVP. Teammate
Jacqueline O'Quinn was named the top pitcher of
the tournament, while Bryant-Officer of Durham was named the top
batter.
Tournament all-stars include Niskanen and Crossley of Humber, Semeniuk and Jessica Pike (Whitby) of Durham and Alexa Georgiou (Windsor) of St. Clair.
Humber avenged a 7-1 loss to Durham in the OCAA championship finale last year. While the Hawks now have a modest OCAA medal streak to two, Durham increases its consecutive total to 16. St. Clair has won medals in eight straight seasons.
With files from Seneca College
OCAA Championship Results
Game 1: Durham defeated Seneca 6-2
Game 2: Humber defeated St. Clair 12-3
Game 3: St. Clair defeated Seneca 6-0
Game 4: Humber defeated Durham 3-1
Bronze Medal Game
Game 5: Durham defeated St. Clair 7-4
Gold Medal Game
Game 6: Humber defeated Durham 8-3
- OCAA -
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Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com
Photo Credit: Armando Villavona