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Laurier Softball Sits in Second Place

September 29, 2015

Waterloo, ON

WFAST goes 6-2 in week three action


Golden Hawks currently sit in second place in OIWFA Laurier: 0 Western: 4
Laurier: 1 Western: 9
Laurier: 8 York: 0
Laurier: 8 York: 4Laurier: 4 Queens: 0Laurier: 11 Queens: 4


The Golden Hawks women’s fastpitch team had a busy week three after already taking two games on Wednesday night against cross-town rival Waterloo Warriors. The Golden Hawks went 4-2 the rest of the weekend, improving to 14-4 on the season, good for second place in the OIWFA.

Friday night the Golden Hawks hosted the Western Mustangs in a rematch of last year’s Provincial Championship. Scoreless through four, the Mustangs opened the scoring with a 1-0 lead. Adding three more in the sixth, that’s all they would need to down the Hawks 4-0. Laurier looked to rebound in game two of the double header scoring in the top of the first when Nicole Gagnier singled, was pushed to second third on a single from Amy Campagnolo and a fielder’s choice by Rachel Warmington. That was all the Hawks would get though as the Mustang’s offense exploded for the 9-1 win.

On Saturday, the Golden Hawks hosted the York Lions on a league wide You Can Play awareness day, a united stance against homophobia in sport. Laurier scored early and scored often with three in the first. Katie Haffner singled in-between two walks when Warmington hit a hard triple down the left field line. With two runners on in the third, Sheena Haines reached on an error and gave the Hawks a 5-0 lead. The Golden Hawks added three more for the 8-0 win. Haffner went 2-3 while Warmington helped out her own cause throwing the shutout and also going 3-3 at the plate.

Game two against the Lions saw Emily Vella getting her first start of the season. Once again the Hawks put the Lions behind early and they could never battle all the way back. Gagnier singled in the first and was scored on a hard hit triple from Ellen Westlaken when Alanna Hentges walked and both reached home on the second triple of the inning off the bat of Marissa Woodburn. Four more runs in the second inning, the Hawks put the Lions to rest early; five straight walks to the top of the order when Woodburn scored another two runs. Vella then shut down potential threats from York and the Hawks take the sweep with an 8-4 win.

Wrapping up an eight game week three, the Golden Hawks were facing a talented squad in the Queen’s Gaels. Scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, Warmington and Westlaken led off with back to back singles. Alanna Hentges then walked and Marissa Woodburn squeaked a single past the shortstop to open the scoring. Kathryn Kennaley then doubled to left-centre and Amelia Ballak laid down a perfect suicide squeeze that ended up scoring two more runs for the Hawks. Campagnolo threw the shutout as the Hawks opened with a 4-0 win.

Game two against the Gaels was back and forth between two even teams. With a leadoff walk from Hentges, Laurier squared around for four straight bunts and led 4-0 after the first. The Gaels answered back with two of their own in the bottom half and added one more in the second to trim the Hawks lead to just one. With another leadoff walk, this time to Gagnier in the third, the Laurier offense made it count as Westlaken had a check swing to score the fourth run and gain a two run lead for the Hawks. However the Gaels wouldn’t go away, scoring one of their own in the bottom of the third and it was once again a one run game. In the top of the fourth, Kennaley got a hold of a hanging fastball and pounded it to the left field fence for her first home run on the year. Laurier then exploded in the top of the fifth with six straight hits lead off by Warmington (2-3), a double from Westlaken, Alanna Hentges came up with a two run single and yet another perfectly executed bunt by Kennaley would load the bases for a pinch hit single from Ballak. Woodburn then singled for another run and Bobbi Sue Hentges executed another suicide squeeze to open a seven run lead. Warmington closed the door from there for her third win of the week as the Hawks prevailed for the sweep of the Gaels with an 11-4 win.

Up next for the Golden Hawks fastpitch team is a pair of double headers against the McMaster Marauder’s and Brock Badgers this weekend in Ponsonby which will complete the regular
season for Laurier before they head to Durham College on Thanksgiving weekend for the National Championships. Stay in touch with Laurier Softball on Twitter @LaurierSoftball

 

 

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