The University of Toronto Varsity Blues softball team travels to Napanee, Ont., this Saturday, October 23 for the OIWFA regional qualifier in hopes of advancing to the Final Four on Sunday in Brampton, Ont.
 
The Blues finished the regular season with a 10-1-1 record and head into the regional qualifier as the first-place team in the East division.  
 
"After such a good regular season, our team knows that this is when the work begins," said Varsity Blues head coach Craig Sarson. "We've been working towards this weekend for 18 months. We're excited to get going at the OIWFA championships with what might be the deepest, most talented team in program history." 
 
The Blues meet the second-place Ottawa Gee-Gees (9-2) with an automatic bye to the regional final and Sunday's Final Four on the line. The loser will have to play the winner of Queen's (9-3-1) and the Rams (4-8-1) in the double elimination bracket.
 
The semifinals will take place on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., with cross-over play from the two regionals. The two winners will play each other at 4:30 p.m., on Sunday, October 24 to crown a provincial champion.  
 
Heading into this matchup with Ottawa, the Blues have put up 75 runs, giving up only 18 for a run differential of 57. The Blues defeated the Gee-Gees 7-0 in their first meeting of the season on Sept. 25, with their three other head-to-head matchups cancelled due to rain.  
 
The Blues are led by two star pitchers in NCAA transfer Katie Humhej and 2018 all-star Erin Sullivan, who both have four wins on the season. Humhej has not given up a run all year and has thrown 51 strikeouts, while only allowing batters to have a measly average of .130 against her. She threw a perfect game against the Rams on Saturday, October 2. Sullivan has a 2.16 ERA, throwing 25 strikeouts of her own, while only walking three batters all season. Rachel Seguin has the lone save for the Blues this season, striking out six batters in her four appearances.  
 
The Blues are a dangerous team offensively as four players are hitting over .400 on the year. Third-year shortstop and 2019 all-star Beth DeConinck has 10 RBI with a slash line of .353/.410/.471. Toronto will also lean on Lauren Howorth and Mihret Eliasziw to get on base as they have OBPs of .556 and .400, respectively. Veteran Jessica Tamayo is second on the team with nine RBI and is tied for the team lead with two triples. Humhej and Sullivan not only help the Blues from the mound but also at the plate as they combine for 15 RBI with both hitters having over a .900 OPS.  
 
2021 OIWFA Championship Weekend Schedule

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