Baseball sweeps into post-season, but gets swept up in errors
When it came to postseason play, Baseball (9-9) was on the outside looking in. With one week of league play left, the Blues had to sweep their final three games to make it. Lo and behold, the Blues defeated Guelph 3-0 and 11-5 in a double-header before knocking off McMaster 8-1 to finish third in the OUA and streak into the playoffs.
In the semi-final series against Western Ontario, the Blues were pinned for a 10-0 loss Friday. The next day, U of T showed up with more than enough fight. Western brought out their ace starter Ryan Butkowski, but he was out-dueled by Blues starter Jake Gallo who gave up one run and five hits while striking out 11 Mustangs in 8 2/3 innings.
With the game tied at one in the ninth, the Blues made three errors, leading to three unearned Mustang runs, costing U of T the chance to bring the series to a third and deciding game.
Western faces Brock in the final this weekend.
-Christophe Poirier
Twice as nice,
Cross-country dominates
While the weather proved formidable, the opposing teams did not, as both Men’s and Women’s Cross-country came through with titles Saturday.
The teams travel to St. Catherine’s for the Brock Invitational this Saturday, their final tune-up before the OUA championships the following week in Kingston.
In what hopefully will be a preview of the championship meet, the Blues were there this weekend for the Queen’s Invitational. The teams were met with frigid weather, as the mercury lay close to freezing and the wind coupled with rain to sop up the running lanes. It still wasn’t enough to throw U of T off course, and they performed admirably in taking first place overall.
On the Women’s side, Donna Vakalis was the top finisher for the Blues, completing the five-kilometre run at 19:00.6. Four runners were in the top 20 for U of T, as they finished with 66 points. Queen’s finished second with 81.
For the Men’s ten-kilometre, Spencer Morrison finished fifth at 34:01.6, edging out fellow Blues Etienne Bredin, who came sixth at 34:05.1, and Joe Campanelli, who placed seventh at 34:07.6. Six Blues finished in the top twelve, propelling them to victory. U of T’s 26 points narrowly held off Queen’s 35. It was a two-team race, though, as McMaster earned bronze with 116 points.
-C.P
Lonely at the top, and loving it
A shoo-in for the post-season, Field Hockey (10-0-2) is coming off a tremendous run, and peaking at the right time.
The playoffs start next Friday, with the OUA champion being crowned that Sunday. The Blues are atop the standings with 32 points, but Guelph is nipping at their heels with 29. Two games remain in the regular season, and the Blues will face those Gryphons (9-1-2) for the top seed Saturday, before taking on Queen’s (6-3-2) to cap their season.
U of T defeated York 1-0 yesterday, leaving them as the only undefeated team in the OUA. At a rematch of last week’s game, which ended in a 2-2 tie, the Blues were able to upend their rivals thanks to Callie O’Hara’s eleventh goal of the season.
Over the weekend, the Blues strung together three shutouts, dominating Carleton 7-0, Western 6-0 and McGill 9-0. Amanda Treacy netted a hat trick against the Gaiters, bringing her season goal total to 11, tying O’Hara for second in the league.
-C.P
