WINDSOR, Ont. – Durham College (Oshawa) was able to hold off host St. Clair College for their 21st gold medal Saturday with a nine-inning 8-7 victory at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Women's Softball Championship. This was the ninth time the two schools have met in the championship final since 2005.
The Saints needed a 10-0 win over Humber College (Etobicoke) in a mercy-shortened five innings on Saturday morning to advance to the gold medal round. St. Clair scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back tacking on two runs in the fourth along with the deciding four runs in the fifth. The Saints allowed just four hits but six errors by Humber led to its demise.
Amy Claydon (Cambridge, Ont.) clubbed two homeruns to pick up Player of the Game honours for St. Clair as part of her three RBI. Judy Lafleur (Essex, Ont.) proved to be a catalyst with two hits adding two RBIs and scored three times for the Saints. Allison Dufour (Amherstburg, Ont.) spread out four hits over her five innings with a walk and a strikeout to pick up the pitching win for St. Clair. Jorja Berney (Mississauga, Ont.) had a hit for Humber on her way to Player of the Game award for Humber.
In the afternoon gold medal final Durham jumped ahead 5-0 after two innings forcing the Saints to get into comeback mode. St. Clair scored twice in the fourth inning, but Durham added a run in its half for a 6-2 lead. The Saints pulled within 6-3 in the fifth inning setting the stage for some late game heroics. Just when they needed it most St. Clair produced five hits in the seventh inning with the big blow coming from Jacklyn Yewchyn (Windsor, Ont.) who drove in a pair on a double to the wall that tied the game at 6-6. The teams traded runs in the eighth inning, but St. Clair was held scoreless in the top of the ninth. In its bottom half Durham loaded the bases and were able to manufacture a sacrifice fly to score the go-head walk-off run.
Yewchyn was named St. Clair's Player of the game finishing with two hits and three RBIs. Shae-Lyn Murphy (Windsor, Ont.) had two singles and a double with an RBI while teammate Lafleur also collected three hits to go with an RBI.
Natalie Clemens (Mormora, Ont.) was the Durham Player of the Game after scoring twice on a single and a walk, but teammate Alexis Pereira (Newmarket, Ont.) was 5-for-5 including a double with an RBI while Grace Hearns (Napanee, Ont.) was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
The OCAA Championship awards are listed below.
All-Star Team Selections
Alexis Ferreira (Humber College)
Amy Claydon (St. Clair College)
Shae-Lyn Murphy (St. Clair College)
Abi Suffel (Durham College)
Grace Hearns (Durham College)
Championship Most Valuable Player – Alexis Pereira (Durham College)
Fair Play Award – Cassey Leader (Conestoga College)
See below the final tournament schedule and results.
October 21
3:00pm - Game 1: Durham (11) vs. Seneca (1)
Players of the Game
Seneca – Chloe Ferko 1-2, R
Durham – Alexis Pereira 2-4, 2R, 3RBI
6:00pm - Game 2: Fanshawe (1) vs. Conestoga (2)
Players of the Game
Fanshawe - Sara Reading 2-3, R
Conestoga - Alexis Volckmar 2-3, RBI, R
October 22
11:00am - Game 3: Humber (3) vs. Durham (5)
Players of the Game
Durham - Nicole Mancini 3-4, RBI, R
Humber - Alexis Ferreira 1-2 HR, RBI, 2R, BB
1:00pm - Game 4: St. Clair (9) vs. Conestoga (2)
Players of the Game
St. Clair - Tiana LaChance 4-4, 2R
Conestoga - Makenna Ross-Porter 1-2, BB, R
4:00pm - Game 5: Conestoga (0) vs. Humber (7)
Players of the Game
Humber - Megan Muir 7.0 IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 9K
Conestoga - Sierra Sheehy 1-2
6:00pm - Game 6: Durham (5) vs. St. Clair (4)
Players of the Game
St. Clair - Judy Lafleur 1-3, 3B, 2RBI, 2R. SB
Durham - Grace Hearns 2-3, 2B, RBI, R
October 23
10:00am – Game 7: OCAA Bronze Medal Game: Humber (0) vs. St. Clair (10)
*Loser awarded Bronze, winner advances to Gold Medal Game
Players of the Game
St. Clair – Amy Claydon 2-2, 2HR, 3RBI, 2BB, 2R
Humber – Jorja Berney 1-2, 1B
1:00pm – Game 8: OCAA Gold Medal Game: St. Clair (7) vs. Durham (8)– 9 Innings
Players of the Game
St. Clair – Jacklyn Yewchyn 2-4, 1B, 2B, 3RBI
Durham – Natalie Clemens 1-3, 1B, BB, 2R
Source: St. Clair Saints
- OCAA -
ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
For over 50 years, the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association has been a dedicated leader in amateur athletics through the provision of quality varsity and recreational athletic opportunities at the collegiate level.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com