KITCHENER, ON - Wrapping up their 2023 OCAA regular season schedule, the Durham College women's softball team battled hard for a pair of wins against the Conestoga Condors.

Grace Hearns (Napanee, ON) went up to the plate at the top of the order in the top of the first inning, being walked before stealing second base and advancing to third on a ground out down the order. With Chelsea Oke (Brooklin, ON) up to bat, she hit a single to send Hearns home and open the scoring.

Conestoga were hot early, scoring four runs in the bottom half of the inning. That 4-1 lead was short lived as Durham had a commanding response in the following inning, with Ryleigh Easton (Bowmanville, ON), Arianne Pollon (Tisdale, SK), Natalie Clemens (Marmora, ON), Jocelyn Shelton (Aylmer, ON) and Hearns contributing to a five-run half inning.

Both sides went scoreless in the third and traded off a pair of runs each in the fourth before Durham's bats turned hot once again with another five-run inning. They added five more throughout the sixth and seventh innings to cap off an 18-7 win.

The Lords had 23 hits in the game, led by C. Oke, who went 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBI's and a run. Pollon also dominated as she went 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs.

Five bases were stolen in the game, Hearns taking three and Clemens taking two.

Morgan Salter (Battersea, ON) picked up her sixth win of the season, going 3.1 innings with two strikeouts. Hannah Oke (Brooklin, ON) pitched 2.2 innings, striking out one-third of batters based, while Sydney Redick (Alvinston, ON) only gave up a single hit against six batters.

The second game of the day would be the final game of the regular season. Hearns once again opened the scoring in the first inning after hitting a triple and scoring a couple of batters later.

In the second inning, Hearns took advantage of her second at-bat of the game and hit a solo home run over the outfield fence to make it 2-0.

The following inning, C. Oke and Chloe Showers (Uxbridge, ON) scored early in the frame to double the lead to four. With Hannah Dykes (Courtice, ON) on first base, Hearns hit her second home run of the game to make it 6-0 which would ultimately be the final score.

Hearns finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI's and a trio of runs.

C. Oke pitched 6.0 innings, facing 20 batters and striking out five. Her sister Hannah came in to finish off the game in the final inning, striking out a batter and securing the shutout.

The Lords secure first place in the OCAA, finishing with a 22-2 record, 237 runs scored and 65 against. But their eyes are still on the prize, going into the 2023 OCAA Women's Softball Championship winning 11 of their last 12 league games.

Humber College will host the championship from October 20-22 at Connorvale Park in Etobicoke. The Lords have a bye through day one and will jump right into a semifinal on the second day.

Stay in the know regarding Durham College Athletics and follow us on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook.