LONDON, ON - The Durham Lords advance to the next round of the 2022 OCAA Women's Softball Championship with a 16-5 win over the Seneca Sting on opening day.
Seneca opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with a single to centre field with the bases loaded to take a 1-0 lead. Natalie Clemens (Marmora, ON) would respond for the Lords in the bottom half of the inning after stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch.
Durham laid the points on heavy in the second inning. After another single with the bases loaded for Seneca to take a one-run lead, Durham scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ryleigh Easton (Bowmanville, ON), Hannah Oke (Brooklin, ON), Kaylen Wilson (Pickering, ON), Grace Hearns (Napanee, ON), Jocelyn Shelton (Aylmer, ON), Sydney Redick (Alvinston, ON) and Abi Suffel (Whitby, ON) all scored in the inning, including two runs in two at-bats for Easton.
With two outs in the third inning, Durham's bats got hot at the right time as Mackenzie Williamson (Brooklin, ON), Shelton, Redick, Suffel, Easton and Oke all combined for another six runs.
The Sting showed signs of life in the fourth inning with another three runs to bring their total to five. But in the same inning, the Lords brought their total to 16 with a run scored by Brynne Naworynski (Aurora, ON).
Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, ON) picked up the win in a 4.0 inning outing, striking out five of 25 batters faced. Oke went onto the mound for the fifth and final inning, striking out all three batters faced - one swinging and two looking.
Easton led the team in runs with three, after going 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk. Clemens, Redick, Suffel and Oke also joined her as batter with multi-hit games. Arianne Pollon (Tisdale, SK) came in as a pinch hitter for Williamson, and recorded a hit and an RBI in her at-bat.
Redick earned player of the game honours, finishing 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBI's.
Advancing to the second round, the Lords will take on the Humber Hawks on Friday at 9:00 AM. The winner will play at 3:00 PM for a chance to qualify directly for the gold medal game, while the one that loses will play at 1:00 PM for an opportunity to qualify to the gold medal game via the bronze medal route.
OVERALL RECORD:Â 24-11
CONFERENCE RECORD:Â 18-6
NEXT GAME: Friday, October 21 vs. Humber Hawks • 9:00 AM • London, ON
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