Fastpitch dethrones Western at OUS championship

Gaels make history by winning softball gold medal 

Image supplied by: Supplied by A&R
Queen’s executed a brilliant comeback.

For the past 11 years, Western Fastpitch has finished first in the Ontario University Softball Championship. This weekend, Queen’s decided it had been long enough. 

They traveled to Waterloo wanting one thing: to win medal for the first time in program history.

Queen’s started the tournament with a win over Laurier 7-6 in their first match and followed their victory with a 10-3 win over Brock. 

However, Western beat Queen’s 9-2 in the round robin to hand the Gaels their first loss of the week and secure their spot in the final matchup.

Queen’s didn’t let the loss rattle them. They met Brock for the second time and delivered an 8-6 victory to earn a finals rematch against Western.

The game started off slow for the Gaels. 

Western put up two runs, but Queen’s couldn’t cross home plate until the fifth before tying things up in the sixth. Queen’s finally turned the game in their favor when Abby Jackiln’s walk-off single drove home Taryn Miller. 

“To win a very close and hard-fought game, over the 11-year reigning champions Western University, was just amazing,” Head Coach ShawnTrudeau said in a statement to The Journal.

“Both teams played amazing, and this Queen’s team battled very hard to earn that victory. That’s what made it special.”

Queen’s continued to make history as Sarah Van Del Heuvel became the first ever Gael to win the Most Valuable Player in the Championship game. Previously, this title has been held by a Mustangs player for an impressive 10 straight seasons. 

“All these athletes have been playing for a long time,” Trudeau said. 

“The team chemistry was amazing. The athletes said it was so special to win the gold medal with this group of teammates will be something they cherish for a long time. The team was absolutely ecstatic when they won.”

Ultimately, Trudeau commended the team on their historic finish and credited their accomplishment to their teamwork and skill.

“All the hard work, supporting, and believing in each other paid off.”

Tags

Championship, Fastpitch, gold, OUS, softball, Western, win

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