Humber fired the opening salvo at defending champion Durham on Sept. 10 to open the 2022 OCAA women's softball regular season.

Humber held Durham off the scoreboard until the seventh inning before prevailing 4-1. Meagan Muir threw a three-hitter, striking out 10 in a complete-game victory.

Durham has won five of the past six OCAA championships for 21 total. But before betting on a changing of the guard, be mindful that Durham saves its best softball for the end. In four of its past five OCAA championship seasons, the Lords were the second seed once, the third seed twice, and a fourth seed in 2015.

As for the Hawks, both Humber and St. Clair have begun the season 4-0, with these two rivals locking horns on Sept. 17 in Etobicoke. Both teams swung hot bats throughout the weekend, outscoring the competition a combined 95-12 in eight games.

Bryanna Kressler of St. Clair is perhaps swinging the hottest bat of them all, with 10 hits, four doubles, three triples and 13 RBI. Durham's Grace Hearns also deserves recognition with a league-high 12 hits, eight runs and nine RBI along with five stolen bases.

Two teams are making their OCAA debut this season, with Sheridan coming oh-so-close to its first-ever regular season victory. On Sept. 11 in Etobicoke, the Bruins went back-and-forth with Conestoga with six lead changes, eventually losing in extra innings 10-9. Lambton is also making its OCAA debut this season, and is also winless in four games.

Jenna McLean of Fanshawe proved that records were made to be broken, as the shortstop drove in eight RBI in a 15-3 win over Lambton to set a new OCAA single-game record. McLean went 4-for-4 with three runs, two doubles and a three-run home run.

All of Caity Allen's (Seneca) four hits this season have gone for extra bases, including two doubles, a triple and a home run. The shortstop has scored five times, and driven in five. Four of five of Tanis Hall's (Conestoga) hits have also gone for extra bases, including three doubles and a home run.

Sheridan's Payton Barkley leads the OCAA with 20 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. In three appearances spanning 10 innings, St. Clair's Mckenna Copley has yet to allow a run, picking up two wins in two starts.

The competition that took place this past weekend were single games played at six different locations. The schedule returns to traditional doubleheaders on Sept. 14 with Humber getting another two chances at Durham and Fanshawe visiting Lambton in the latter's home opener.

OCAA SCHEDULE: https://ocaa.prestosports.com/sports/fastball/2022-23/schedule

Source: OCAA Communications