(London, ON) The Fanshawe Falcons Softball team competed against the Durham Lords and the St. Clair Saints on Saturday, September 23. The Birds dropped game one against Durham 10-1 and the Saints favoured game two 5-3.
The Durham Lords started hot scoring two runs in the first inning and two runs in the second. During the bottom of the second, the Falcons got on the board with a double hit from Marandee Hunter (Chatham, ON) who crossed home after a Sydnee Reidy (London, ON) hit. In the fourth, Fanshawe's Hunter made a miraculous dive which sent the Birds out to bat and kept the visitors scoreless.
After the fifth, Durham led the ball game 6-1 and the Lords picked up three more runs in the sixth, increasing their score to nine. The Birds rallied back on the offensive end in the bottom of the sixth. Catcher Kailyn Cook (Ingersoll, ON) started the Falcons off with a hit and second year Jada Doxtator (Southwold, ON) safely advanced to first base off a Lords error. Despite Fanshawe's efforts, they were unable to convert. With one additional run from the visitors in the seventh inning, the final score of the game was 10-1 in favour of Durham.
The Falcons faced the St. Clair Saints during the second game of the day. Fanshawe's pitcher Alley Kemp (Fullarton, ON) gave the Birds a solid start and held the defending OCAA Champions scoreless in the first two innings. Unfortunately, the visitors battled back scoring three runs in the third and two in the fifth. Down 5-0, the Falcons did not go away and made things interesting. Doxtator claimed the first hit of the inning for the Falcons. Reidy followed, smashing a double to score Ashtyn Medow (Mitchell, ON) and Doxtator. Kamryn Lamond (Tavistock, ON) assisted in scoring the third run of the fifth inning for the Birds with a single RBI to centre field.
The hard fought battle ended in a 5-3 loss for the Falcons. Though Fanshawe did not achieve the outcome they hoped for, the Birds were able to keep the 2022-23 Softball Champions scoreless in five out of the seven innings.
The Falcons travel to Budd Park in Kitchener on Sunday, September 24 to face Conestoga and Sheridan.
