Entering the provincial championship as reigning champions, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues softball team will be looking to defend their title this weekend in Napanee, Ont., at the 2024 OUS Championship.

U of T finished the regular season first in the OUS East division with a 12-6 record, placing two games ahead of their closest competitors in the region. The Blues were buoyed to their first-place finish after winning six of their final seven games, including a three-game win streak to end their regular season schedule.

At the plate, Toronto's offence has driven in 112 runs during the OUS campaign, while holding their opponents to 78 runs scored for a plus-34 run differential. Leading the charge offensively has been a pair of newcomers for the Blues in Tala Rennie and Alexia Verches, and a second-year standout in Jamie Cho. Rennie tops the team with 27 hits so far this fall, adding nine RBI and 19 runs. Meanwhile, Verches has displayed incredible power on her 25 hits, notching four doubles, five triples, and three home runs for 19 RBI and 22 runs this season. And leading the team in RBI, Cho has registered 22 RBI across 17 games played for the Blues so far.

With plenty of options in the pitching circle, Toronto have seen four different pitchers deliver 20 or more innings of work this year, led by 2023 OUS pitcher of the year Joely Ma and first-year standout Vanessa Jeffrey. Continuing on from her spectacular campaign a year ago, Ma has a 1.94 ERA across 36 total innings with 29 strikeouts and three wins. As for Jeffrey, the rookie holds a 1.53 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 36.2 innings this season. Both Alexa Aquanno and Olivia Mather have also been stellar from the circle, with Aquanno securing a team-high 33 strikeouts and Mather holding a team best 1.42 ERA.  

Last season, the Blues claimed their second OUS title in program history. Looking to add a third to their mantel, their journey in the double elimination tournament will begin on Saturday (Oct. 19) with a first round match-up versus OUS West fourth seeded Western Mustangs. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. Select games will be streamed online via OUS partner Softball Premier.