Softball wins silver medal at OCAA championship

By: William Shoukri
Humber Athletics Communications

OSHAWA - Humber softball captured the 2024 OCAA silver medal Saturday afternoon, reaching the gold medal game for the first time since 2019. Earlier in the day, the Hawks beat St. Clair in the bronze game before falling to Durham in the gold game. 

Gold Medal Recap (Durham 8, Humber 0)

Facing the best team in the country, the Hawks were the underdog coming into Saturday's gold-medal game. Humber held Durham scoreless for the first inning with some good pitching from starter Zoe Scougall; she would have four strikeouts through 2.1 innings. 

Unfortunately for Humber, this Durham team would prove to be too much. The Lords scored twice in the second inning and didn't look back. 

Durham would score another five runs over the next two innings before Shade Hansen was brought in at the top of the fifth. Hansen managed to keep the Lords scoreless in her first inning of play, but Humber couldn't manage any offence. 

Durham would score once more to make it 8-0 before finishing things in the top of the seventh.

River Johnston and Zoe Scougall were named to the championship all-tournament team.

Bronze Medal Recap (Humber 3, St. Clair 0)

Much like yesterday's game that saw St. Clair shut out Humber 3-0, this was projected to be a pitching duel. The starting pitchers got the memo and immediately began dominating from the circle. 

Shea Hilpert would get the game's first hit in the bottom of the third, a worm burner that found the gap between first and second, but the game stayed tied heading into the fourth. 

In the top of the fourth, St. Clair found a spark. After a fly ball was missed, Shade Hansen came in for Zoe Scougall, but a wild pitch, a walk, and a steal left the Saints with two runners in scoring position and just one out. 

The Hawks would get out of the inning with a score of 0-0, with two strong defensive plays, and get back on offence.

Humber came out strong for the bottom of the fourth. Russo hit a lead-off double before River Johnston would score her and Michaela Tuck with a two-run double to give Humber a 2-0 lead. 

After a three-up, three-down inning from Hansen, Humber would turn the temperature back up in the bottom of the fifth. The Hawks had rattled St. Clair, and they would end up with two runners in scoring position before an out was made. 

Shea Hilpert scored Humbers' last run of the game, crossing home after an error from St. Clair. The Hawks would have to turn to Shade Hansen and their own defence to secure the victory. 

The team did just that. Hansen only allowed one hit through the next two innings and struck out two batters in the seventh inning to ensure her team went home with some hardware, winning 3-0.