The University of Toronto Varsity Blues softball team opened their Ontario University Softball (OUS) regular season with a pair of doubleheaders this weekend.

U of T first challenged the McMaster Marauders in a pair of games at East Toronto Athletic Fields on Saturday (Sept. 9), winning both games 6-1 and 15-0.

The Blues received a strong pitching performance from Joely Ma as she went a full seven innings, striking out four McMaster batters, while allowing just one earned run. Meanwhile, at the plate Lauren Greco drove in two runs with an RBI single, while Isabella Trakosas and Amanda DeConinck added an RBI each.

In the second game of the day, it took Toronto just three innings to build up the 15 run lead to secure the victory. First-year pitcher and infielder Zoe Goldberg conceded just two hits, while striking out three Marauders through the three innings of work. Goldberg also went three-for-three at the plate, scoring two RBI. She would be just one of eight Blues batters to register an RBI in the convincing Game 2 win.

Shifting gears to Sunday's showdown versus the Brock Badgers at Thomson Memorial Park, Toronto came up just short in back-to-back games falling 4-1 and 2-1 versus the visitors from St. Catharines.

Despite taking an early 1-0 lead through the first inning, U of T were unable to add any more runs in Game 1 of the day. Both Amelia Collett and Shirley Chan picked up two hits for the Blues, while Olivia Mather and Ma combined for seven innings in the pitching circle, with the duo registering five strikeouts.

Game 2 was another pitching duel, with Goldberg allowing just two runs in another 4.1 innings of work, and Madison Mattar earning the lone Blues RBI in the one run loss.

U of T hits the road next weekend continuing their regular season in the nation's capital with another back-to-back series of doubleheaders. Action begins versus the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday, Sept. 16, followed by a series against the Carleton Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 17.