Day Three Recap

SASKATOON – The Western Mustangs took silver at the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association National Championship on Sunday, after being narrowly edged out in extra innings by the University of Saskatchewan by a 1-0 score.
 
Western claims silver for the second consecutive year, and the Mustangs have now played in six straight national finals, also winning four national titles from 2011-2014.
 
The win gives Saskatchewan their first national title since 2010, when they also claimed first place on home soil. They also become the first team to hand the Mustangs a loss in either exhibition, regular season, or playoff action this fall.
 
Rachael Jacques continued her outstanding season, throwing all nine innings for the Mustangs, allowing only one unearned run, two hits, and one walk with nine strikeouts.
 
Kailey Strouts picked up the win for Saskatchewan, also going nine innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven.
 
Saskatchewan scored in the top of the ninth inning, with Claire Lahti crossing the plate for the only run of the game.
 
The gold medal final was Western's second contest of the day, after advancing to the final with a 1-0 win over Fanshawe in the semi-finals. The matchup came less than a day after Western topped the Falcons 1-0 to win their pool and earn a bye into the semi-finals.
 
Despite throwing a complete game shutout the day before, Jacques topped her performance from Saturday's contest, throwing a no hitter and coming within one batter of a perfect game. Jacques tossed seven innings of shutout ball, allowing only one walk and striking out 10.
 
Lydia Kalbfleisch turned in a strong game for the Falcons, allowing only one earned run, one hit, and one walk in six innings of action.
 
The game's only run came in the fourth inning, with Kendra Dawson driving in Courtney Reynolds to provide the Mustangs the only run they'd need in the victory.
 
Along with the silver medal, Western claimed both the Tournament MVP and Top Hitter Awards for the event. Jacques earned MVP honours, while Reynolds was named the tournament's best hitter.
 
Western won't have long before their next tournament, as the team will look to win their seventh consecutive Ontario title next weekend at the OIWFA Provincial Championship, being hosted in Innerkip, Ontario, from October 14-16.


Day Two Recap
 
SASKATOON – The Western Mustangs kept their momentum rolling on day two of the CCSA National Championship, defeating the Fanshawe Falcons 1-0 on Saturday to earn a bye into the semi-finals.
 
Rachael Jacques started her second game in as many days, and just as she did on Friday, the Barrie, Ont., native threw a complete game shutout. Jacques allowed only three hits and one walk across the game's seven innings, while also striking out 12. Alanna Gilmour countered for the Falcons, also throwing a complete game and allowing one earned run, five hits, and one walk.
 
Just as with the Mustangs contest against Regina on Friday, Saturday's contest with Fanshawe was a defensive affair, with the game's lone run coming in the top of the fourth inning.
 
After Kristen Pearn came on as a pinch runner, the outfielder came around to score with the Mustangs next at bat, off of a double from Shannon Davidson. The run gave the Mustangs a 1-0 lead that they'd hold till the end of the contest.
 
With the win the Mustangs finish on top of their pool, and will receive a bye directly into tomorrow's semi-finals. The semi-finals will see a rematch between the Mustangs and Falcons, after Fanshawe defeated St. Clair College in the quarterfinals to advance. Game time is set for 10 a.m. in Saskatoon (12 p.m. Eastern), with the winner of that game advancing to the national final at 2 p.m. (4 p.m. Eastern).


Day One Recap

SASKATOON – The Western Mustangs got off to a good start on day one of the CCSA National Championship, going 2-0 with wins over the Humber Hawks and Regina Cougars to start the tournament.
 
The Mustangs were nothing short of dominant in game one, with pitcher Rachael Jacques striking out 14 of the 23 batters she faced en route to a 5-0 shutout win over Humber to start the day.
 
Both Robyn Wood and Emma Murray went a perfect 3-3 at the plate, with each drawing one walk and knocking in two runs. Courtney Reynolds also had a strong offensive game, recording two hits and crossing the plate three times in the victory.
 
Western took an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run single from Murray in the top of the first inning.
 
The Mustangs made it 4-0 in the top of the third, with both Reynolds and Murray scoring runs in the frame. Reynolds was the first across the plate, scoring on a single from Alana Cress, and Murray came around shortly thereafter on an RBI single from Wood.
 
It would remain a 4-0 game until the top of the seventh, when a single from Wood once again plated Murray to give the Mustangs the 5-0 win.
 
Western's second game of the day saw the Mustangs take on the Regina Cougars in a defensive battle. Sara Contini got the start for the Mustangs and threw five innings of shutout ball, allowing only three hits and two walks. Mackenzie Acton also had a strong game for Regina, going 5.1 innings with no runs, and only four hits with three walks.
 
Neither team was able to bring in a run until the Mustangs broke threw in the bottom of the seventh. Reynolds, who went 3-3 against the Cougars, played the hero, knocking in the game-winning run and bringing Rachelle Washkevich in to score and give the Mustangs a 1-0 win.
 
Western will be back in action tomorrow as pool play concludes with the Mustangs set to take on the Fanshaw Falcons at 12:30 p.m. local time in Saskatoon. The winner of Saturday's matchup will receive a bye through the quarterfinals, and move directly into a semi-final on Sunday.