HAWKS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH 1ST PLACE SAINTS
URGENT UPDATE: Hawks game has been delayed untiil 1:00 pm
KITCHENER, ON: The Humber Hawks women's softball team have continued their streak of advancing to the OCAA Final Four Championship tournament, which encompasses all six years of the teams existence.
Humber, by way of their split with the second place with the Fanshawe Falcons last Sunday, advanced to the championship event. Fanshawe actually tied the Saints for first, but St. Clair grabbed first spot based on a slim tiebreaker advantage.
The Hawks (13-11) will open the double knockout tournament with the Saints (18-6) on Friday morning at 11:00 am, at Budd Park #1 in Kitchener. The winners will advance to the championship semi-final at 5:00 pm, and the losers will play in an elimination games at 3:00 pm. - full schedule provided below.
Humber has excelled at many points this season, but have struggled in every contest with the Windsor based St. Clair club. The Saints swept the Hawks in all four games this season, including two dominating wins less than a week ago. The Hawks have been outscored 41-16, surrendering an average of over 10 runs per game.
Based on statistics, the edge goes to St. Clair in almost every category.
Offensively, they hit for a higher average and have four batters batting higher than the Hawks first one in the league batting rankings. Bonnie Gillingham led the Hawks this year, with an average of .386. Jenna Hillman, ironically a Windsor are native, actually checked in with a mark of .483, but she did not get enough at-bats to qualify for league final standings.
Humber has experienced a power surge lately, and sit with six home runs, to the Saints 5. But, St. Clair hit four dingers in two games against the Hawks last week.
Pitching also favours the first place club, as former OCAA Pitchers of the year Alexa Georgiou and Allison Telfer toe the rubber. Humber has had fine outings from Myranda Pierson and Rachel Matheson-Green but nothing of note in the battles of these two teams.
Coaching sees Hawks rookie head man Duaine Bowles matching up with Doug Wiseman of the Saints, who is in his fourth year with the team. Both coaches have extensive coaching backgrounds, so we will consider this category a wash.
The one upside for the Hawks is the return of shortstop Jenna Hillman. Not only is she a quality hitter, as mentioned above, she is an outstanding defensive player.
To win this game, the Hawks have to keep the Saints off the base paths, especially early. Humber has many quality at-bats in the games between the two, but they will need to drive runs in when the opportunity presents itself.
Of note, it was Humber that knocked of the league champion Saints out of the 2015 championship tournament, on their way to OCAA silver.
