The UBC Okanagan Heat softball team won their second consecutive Western Collegiate Softball Association (WCSA) championship, and third in the past four years, on Sunday as they defeated the University of Saskatchewan 5-2 in the gold medal game at Shouldice Park.
BACK-TO-BACK: UBCO Heat Softball captures second consecutive WCSA Championship
After falling behind 1-0 in the gold medal game, the Heat scored three runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by homerun from Cheyenne Simicak of Surrey, B.C., and an RBI single from Lauryn Dirks of Strathmore, Alta., to take the lead.
Saskatchewan would cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly but an error by the Huskies in the sixth inning allowed two Heat runners to score as UBCO took a 5-2 lead.
From there, starting pitcher Taylor McCrae of Vancouver, Wash., would shut Saskatchewan down as the Heat claimed gold once again.
McCrae finished the game allowing just one earned run while striking out four in a complete-game effort.
After posting a 3-0 record in pool play, including wins over Saskatchewan, SAIT and Victoria, the Heat reached the championship game in dramatic fashion against the Calgary Dinos.
Trailing 6-2 after the fifth inning, the Heat staged a remarkable comeback. UBCO cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a solo homerun from Sheyenne Lawrence of Kelowna, B.C. The Heat then scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and send it to extras thanks to RBI singles from Mikhayla Muir of Okotoks, Alta., Lawrence and McCrae.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Heat capped the comeback as Taryn Lamb of Kelowna, B.C., hit a walk-off solo homerun to win the game.
Following the championship, five members of the Heat were recognized by the WCSA. Simicak was named a first team all-star while Katelyn Harman of Abbotsford, B.C., Bella Green of Penticton, B.C., and Sheyenne Lawrence of Kelowna, B.C., were all named second-team all-stars. Dirks was also recognized with the team's WCSA Leadership Award.
UBCO will now head to Ottawa for the 2024 Canadian Collegiate Softball Association championship, hosted by the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The Heat will be in Pool A and will face the Durham Lords, the Toronto Varsity Blues and the host Gee-Gees in round robin action, which gets underway on Friday, October 11.