The University of Toronto Varsity Blues fastpitch team finished their 2008 regular season with an impressive 12-8-2 record and ranked fifth going into the Ontario Intercollegiate Women’s Fastpitch Association (OIWFA) playoffs.

In the playoffs, the Toronto squad was placed in a difficult pool and fell to the Guelph Gryphons, the first-place Western Mustangs and narrowly lost to the McMaster Marauders to finish out of medal contention.

The Blues bats never got going against Guelph on Friday night. Although Mel Monson (Brampton, Ont.) pitched another gem, Toronto fell 3-1 to the Gryphons. .

On Saturday morning the Blues faced the top team in the OIWFA-Western Mustangs. Due to a series of errors, the Blues found themselves behind early but a determined Toronto squad fought back and were only down 10-9 after six innings. At the top of the seventh, Charlsie Searle (Toronto, Ont.) reached first base but a double play cut the comeback short.

The Blues had to beat McMaster by four runs to advance on Sunday. Toronto got three quick runs but again, a series of errors would cost the Blues as a McMaster took a 5-3 lead.

Monson received little support and the Blues found themselves down 8-3 going into the top of the seventh inning. With two out, Stouffville native Winnie Law reached first base and scored on a Karlene Headley-Cooper (Mississauga, Ont.) double. Monson then hit Headley-Cooper home to cut the lead to 8-5. In the end, it wasn’t enough and the Blues season came to an end.

At the OIWFA banquet, Blues pitchers Charlsie Searle (Toronto, Ont.) and Monson were named OIWFA all-stars in recognition of their outstanding performances in the field and at the plate. For Searle, this is her second consecutive OIWFA all-star award.