LONDON, Ont. – At Fanshawe's Alumni Field on Thursday afternoon, the No. 4 Falcons opened the OCAA Women's Softball Championship with a 5-1 win over the No. 5 Conestoga Condors. The No. 3 Durham Lords then defeated No. 6 Seneca Sting 16-5 to also advance to Friday.

All-Star pitcher Morgan Lowry (Middlesex Centre) had five strikeouts in the first two innings to keep the game scoreless. Fanshawe's Madeline Pappas (Richmond Hill), an OCAA Second-Team All-Star, then hit a double to drive in teammates Katie Berg (Stratford) and Paige Askew (London). First-Team All-Star Kennedi Roth (Stratford) then singled to extend Fanshawe's lead to 3-0.

The Condors responded by scoring a run in the top of the fourth to cut the Falcons lead to 3-1. Roth then scored on a sacrifice fly in the fifth frame to make the score 4-1. Lowry struck out three Condors in the sixth inning to keep the home team on top. The Falcons added two more runs in the sixth to secure the first round 5-1 victory and advance to Friday's games.

Roth went 2-for-4 in the game, with two RBIs and one run scored. Lowry was named Player of the Game for Fanshawe, recording the win on the mound with 15 strikeouts as well as an RBI. Daniela Ernst (Georgetown) was named player of the game for Conestoga, drawing a pair of walks with some outstanding defensive play in centrefield. Condors pitcher Hayley Breen (Rostock) was charged with the loss.

In the second game of the day, it was the reigning 2021 OCAA champion Durham Lords who came away with a 16-5 win over the Seneca Sting. The Sting scored first on a single from Cassidy Warner (Georgetown) in the opening frame. Durham added one of their own in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game 1-1. OCAA Second-Team All-Star River Johnston (North York) singled to right field in the second inning to put Seneca back on top, 2-1. The Lords then picked up their offence, scoring eight runs, including two RBIs from Hannah Oke (Brooklin), to go ahead 9-2 heading into the third frame.

Durham added another six runs in the third inning, with RBIs from OCAA Second-Team All-Star Ryleigh Easton (Bowmanville), Sydney Redick (Alvinston), Abi Suffel (Whitby) and Arianne Pollon (Tisdale, Sask.) to make the score 15-2. Seneca narrowed the gap, scoring three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Durham added a run in the bottom of the inning to round out the scoring. The winning pitcher for the Lords was Emily Glendinning (Plattsville) and the Durham Player of the game was Redick, who went 3-for-4, with two RBIs and two runs. Alyssa Van Der Werf (Oshawa) suffered the loss for the Sting, while Seneca's Player of the Game was Anyssa Hill (Mississauga) with one hit and two runs.

The championship continues on Friday at Alumni Field, where Fanshawe will face No. 1 St. Clair at 11 a.m. and Durham will play No. 2 Humber at 9 a.m. All championship news, webcasts and up-to-date results can be found on the 2022 OCAA Women's Softball Championship website: www.ocaa.com/soft.

Source: Fanshawe Falcons

Photo Credit: Matt Hiscox

Thursday, October 20
Game #1: No. 4 Fanshawe def. No. 5 Conestoga 5-1
Game #2: No. 3 Durham def. No. 6 Seneca 16-5

Friday, October 21
Game #3: No. 3 Durham vs. No. 2 Humber - 9 a.m
Game #4: No. 4 Fanshawe vs. No. 1 St. Clair - 11 a.m.
Game #5: Loser Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 - 1 p.m.
Game #6: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 3 p.m.

Saturday, October 22
OCAA Bronze Medal Game
Game #7: Winner Game #5 vs. Loser Game #6 - 10 a.m.
Losing team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of game

OCAA Gold Medal Game(s)
Game #8: Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #6 - 1 p.m.
Game #9*: Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #6 - 3 p.m.
*If necessary
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at the conclusion of final game

- OCAA -

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