The University of Toronto Varsity Blues softball team claimed their second straight Ontario University Softball (OUS) championship on Sunday (Oct. 19), defeating the Laurier Golden Hawks 11-10 in the gold medal match.

Tied 10-10 and with two out in the bottom of the seventh, the Blues won in walk-off fashion as third-year outfielder Isabella Traskosas delivered a game-winning single to score the deciding run. First-year catcher Alexia Verches was named championship game MVP, registering three RBI and three runs for the Blues, including an inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning. The trio of Joely Ma, Vanessa Jeffrey, and Alexa Aquanno worked the pitching circle for Toronto, with Aquanno closing out the final two innings of the come-from-behind win.

"We tried to keep the team focused on what was immediately in front of them - the next pitch, the next at-bat, the next defensive play," described first-year Varsity Blues head coach Scott Aquanno. "It means a lot to win as a first-year coach. We worked hard to implement our offensive and defensive approach, and had lots to learn about our players, the other teams, and the pace of the game at this level. It is difficult to win at this level, everyone understands that, but the girls stayed focused and kept their energy through the ups-and-downs of each game. And now that it is all over, we can look back at the accomplishments made by the program with a tremendous sense of pride."

The game began with an outstanding first inning for U of T, scoring four runs, but Laurier responded immediately to tie the game after the top of the third. The Blues then found some momentum, which included Verches' fourth inning home run, extending themselves to an 8-4 lead over the Golden Hawks. However, Laurier battled back and scored six runs over the next two innings to take back a 10-8 advantage. Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Janelle Hodge opened the final frame with a triple, before an error allowed her to head home and cut the gap to one. Then Shirley Chan drove in the tying run with a single to centre field, setting up Trakosas' heroics with the walk-off effort.

Toronto went undefeated at the OUS Championship, defeating Western 3-1 and Queen's 10-0 on the opening day of competition, before knocking off Laurier 10-0 in the semifinal of the double elimination tournament to advance to the final. The provincial title marks the seventh provincial medal and third gold medal in program history after previously winning in 2023 and 2005. The win also secures their spot at the Canadian Softball National Championship for a second consecutive year.

"We are really proud of the players and the progress we made throughout the season," noted Scott Aquanno. "And we are super excited to be returning to the Canadian National's next year as the OUS champion and look forward to seeing what this team can do. We have a very young team and hope to continue to build the program."