Softball sweeps St. Clair to end home stand

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE – In a rematch of the 2023 OCAA Championship bronze-medal game, Humber softball (7-1, 2nd OCAA) swept the twin bill against the St. Clair Saints (5-3, 3rd OCAA) on Sunday afternoon at Connorvale Park. River Johnston had a fantastic day at the dish, going four-for-five with three RBIs in the twin bill, including a home run. Zoe Scougall was the highlight of game two, recording a career-high seven strikeouts over 6.1 innings pitched for her third win of the season. 

Game one (Humber 5, St. Clair 2)

Connorvale Park was decked out in blue and gold as the Hawks returned to their home diamond for the second time this weekend. Following a dominant, stress-free doubleheader sweep against the Lambton Lions on Saturday, Humber prepared to face the two-time defending provincial and national champion St. Clair Saints. After going 0-7 against the Saints last season, including a defeat in the bronze-medal game, the Hawks were determined to exorcise their demons. 

Humber wasted no time rewriting last season's script. Humber ace Shade Hansen would throw fire from the circle, making quick work of the lineup with a one-two-three inning. The Hawks would add the first run to the scoreboard in the home half of the inning as freshman Melia Farrow scored on a sacrifice fly by Amelia Russo. 

The Saints responded right away in the following inning to jump ahead in the score with a home run by Kirsten Kipfer and an RBI by Danna Juarez. When St. Clair seemed to be gaining momentum, the Humber defence would come up clutch as Marlee Greer threw across the diamond to Claudia Hansen, who caught Ada Umerah stealing home.

The Hawks would strike back in the bottom of the frame, with River Johnston crushing an RBI double to left field. As Rilee Devries walked toward the dish, she could feel the excitement from the fans in the crowd as they knew she was a big-game player. Devries would make no mistake, recording a two-run double to put the Hawks in the lead. 

Johnston would stay hot in the third inning, launching a solo homerun to centre field - the first home run of her Humber career. The Hawks would end the third inning up by three, 5-2. 

After three more scoreless innings, Shade Hansen would slam the door shut with two strikeouts in the seventh to capture the win in game one. 

River Johnston was named the Player of the Game, going two-for-two at the dish and recording a Humber career-high two RBIs. 

Game two (Humber 6, St. Clair 2)

Looking to sweep the reigning provincial champions, the Hawks were back to game two. Second-year pitcher Zoe Scougall got the nod, allowing no runs in the first frame and shutting the door in the second with a one-two-three inning. 

It was a very different pace in the second game. Unlike the first, where fans saw seven runs scored in the first three innings, the game was scoreless at the end of three innings.

The game's first run finally came in the bottom of the fourth, and, to no one's surprise, Devries delivered once again. The third-year all-star got to the dish and smashed a rocket over the fence to end the scoreless tie. The Hawks still had the energy to jump ahead by two as Shea Hilpert walked with the bases loaded, driving in Marlee Greer. Humber left the fourth frame with a two-run lead. 

In the top of the sixth, the SaintsAfter  trimmed the lead down to one as Brooke Cameron smashed an RBI double down the left field line, but Scougall was undeterred, shutting the door on the St. Clair rally.

After Michaela Tuck walked to begin the sixth inning, Coach Bowles would go to his bench, inserting Alison MacLachlan to pinch run. The move paid off, as MacLachlan would steal second and head to third on a throwing error by the catcher. River Johnston would then drive her in with a single up the middle, extending Humber's lead to two. Looking for more breathing room, Reese Velocci crushed a three-run shot to left field, driving in Shea Hilpert and Victoria Lopez. Velocci's big fly would extend Humber's lead to five and the Hawks would enter the last inning up, 6-1.

After running into some trouble in the seventh, Michaela Brown would enter in relief of Scougall, would help the Hawks secure the victory, 6-2. 

Zoe Scougall was named the Player of the Game in game two, recording a career-high seven strikeouts over 6.1 innings pitched. 

Humber Highlights

• Humber swept the season series against St. Clair for the first time since 2012.
• Shade Hansen leads the OCAA with 40 strikeouts and sits eight punchouts away from being the all-time career leader in strikeouts for Humber.
• The Hawks improve to 20-37 all-time against the Saints. 
• Rilee Devries' six extra-base hits are the third most in the conference.
• Reece Velocci's home run was the first of her career.
• Shade Hansen's 40 strikeouts in the season are more than the total number of strikeouts of six teams in the league. 

What's Next?

Humber softball will head on the road mid-week to take on the Mohawk Mountaineers (0-7, 9th OCAA) on Thursday, Sept. 19. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m.