TECUMSEH, Ont. - The Durham College men's baseball team made a strong push in the OCAA Championship this week, opening their playoff run with a statement win before bowing out after a pair of tight battles against top opponents. 

Durham opened the tournament Thursday with a dominant 8–3 win over Humber, eliminating the Hawks and ending the Hawks' season in the process.

Their bats came alive with 14 hits, while Eddie Borutskie and Ryan McGivney each drove in multiple runs to power the offence. 

On the mound, Matt Jones held Humber to three earned runs over seven innings, and the Lords' defence backed him with several key plays to secure the victory. Jones struck out seven batters in the game.

Friday's matchup with Fanshawe was a tightly contested 3–2 loss that sent Durham to the bronze medal side of the double-elimination bracket.

Zach Rivers led the offence with two doubles and an RBI, while Ryan Mattes added a run-scoring single and Ethan Service scored a pair of runs.

Gareth Mann delivered a steady six-inning start, scattering four hits and striking out five, but the Lords couldn't convert late scoring chances despite tallying seven hits on the day.

Facing Lambton later in the afternoon, Durham's postseason run came to an end in a 4–3 defeat. 

Evan Torres was the story at the plate, crushing a two-run home run and finishing with three RBIs, while Malik James added two hits and scored twice.

With the loss, Durham's season comes to an end following back-to-back bronze medal finishes in 2023 and 2024.

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