MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A huge third inning propelled the Humber Hawks to an OCAA championship opening win Friday afternoon over the Durham Lords, guaranteeing Humber a spot in tomorrow's action.
The second-seeded Hawks avenged their season-closing 6-5 loss to these same Lords, and they looked every bit the offensive juggernaut they were throughout much of the regular season.
Humber starting pitcher Jessica O'Quinn got off to a quick start, retiring the Lords first two batters on two pitches. The Lords battled back though, and managed to score the first run of the game on a sharply hit RBI single from clean-up hitter Lydia Kalbfleisch.
The lead was short lived, as the Hawks got to Durham starter Ashley Black early in the bottom of the first. After leading off the inning with a double, Sydney Bartha proceeded to steal third and was driven home on a perfectly placed bunt from Olivia Crossley. Outfielder Natalie Stoberman drove another in on a seeing-eye single, and the Hawks would tally two more before inning's end to take a 4-1 lead.
The Lords showed resiliency, loading the bases in the top of the second and getting to hard-throwing O'Quinn as much as they would all afternoon. With the bases juiced Jessica Pike hit a deep fly ball that was just beyond the reach of centre fielder Stoberman to plate two and bring the Lords within one. Unfortunately for the Lords, they couldn't do any more damage in the inning and it was the last time O'Quinn would give them the chance.
The next inning and a half featured solid pitching from both starters, as the game remained 4-3 through two and a half.
Just when Black looked to be settling in, the Hawks began a rally that would bury the Lords for good. A throwing error got the party started for Humber as Crossley scored to put Humber up 5-3. Stoberman followed in quick fashion with an RBI single, and the flood gates opened up quickly. After a Shawna Niskanen single scored the Hawks fifth run of the inning, Durham finally went to the pen, bringing in reliever Kalbfleisch. The pitching change did nothing to change the Lords fortunes on the mound, as four more Hawks would cross the plate before the inning mercifully came to an end.
With a commanding 13-3 lead in hand, O'Quinn focused on pounding the strike zone and the Lords couldn't touch her. A Bartha single capped the afternoon's scoring, and the game was called after five innings for a 14-3 final.
Durham plays next at 5 p.m. against the loser of the upcoming St. Clair-Conestoga match-up, while the Hawks will face the winner at 7 p.m. Durham will need to re-group quickly if they are to advance to tomorrow's semi-final, while the Hawks will look to carry the momentum to tonight's game that could guarantee them a spot in the gold medal game.
Players of the Game were Kalbfleisch for Durham and Stoberman, who drove in four, for Humber.
Source: Humber College