DURHAM 7, SENECA 5

On the outside of the playoff picture, Seneca was tasked with upsetting one of the top teams in the league on Tuesday night at Newnham Campus Field. The Sting entered the game with a 2-7 record while the Lords had eight wins against just one loss through nine games.

The Sting handed the ball to their ace and backed her up with timely hitting and fundamental defence.

Unfortunately for the home team, the Lords were too much on this night as they improved their record to 9-1 and left the Sting with a daunting final week of the regular season.

Seneca pitcher Lauren McLaughlin pitched two scoreless innings before her team supplied her with offence in the bottom of the second. Steph Penner hit a single down the first base line to score two teammates. Holly Glazier, who scored from second, had previously reached on a deep fly ball to left which flew over the left fielder.

In the bottom of the third, Victoria Whidden drove a hard liner to left-centre before sliding into third. She later scored on an error by the right fielder on a pop up by McLaughlin to give the Sting a 3-0.

Following a fourth consecutive scoreless inning, the Lords offence got going in the fifth to the tune of five runs.

Down, but not finished, Seneca fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. The tying run came off the bat of Natalie Chiarotto who reached on an error. Pinch runner Isabelle Angers-Barber scored from second on the play.

Durham would add a run in the top of the sixth to regain the lead and looked for more. The sixth ended on a controversial double play ball. Chiarotto caught the ball in foul territory and then threw to third. The Lords runner came home and scored. Seneca tagged third and then the umpires discussed the play. The ruling was that the runner had not tagged up and the inning ended with the Lords up 6-5.

Seneca was unable to score another run while the Lords added a seventh run in the top of the seventh. Melissa Semeniuk had four hits (two singles, double, triple) while Whidden (triple) and McLaughlin (double) led the Sting.

Seneca (2-8) gets back in action on Thursday as they travel to play Conestoga (4-8) at 5 p.m. while Durham (9-1)will host Mohawk (0-12), also on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Source: Seneca College