The St. Clair College Women's Softball team capped off a strong 2024 season, taking home the bronze medal at the Ontario Collegiate Athletics Association (OCAA) Provincial Championship in Oshawa last weekend.
Shae-Lyn Murphy (Windsor, ON/Holy Names) had a double to earn Player of the Game and July Lafleur (Essex, ON/Essex) singled but they were the only hits for the Saints as neither produced a run. Danna Juarez (Airdrie, AB) took the pitching loss for St. Clair but was recognized as a member of the Championship All-Star team, with a pair of complete game shutout wins leading up to the final day of the event.
Durham ultimately won its 22nd OCAA title on their home field with an 8-0 win over Humber in the championship final. The Saints finished the season with a 25-10 record including playoff and exhibition play.
The Saints also put up a strong showing at the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association (CCAA) Championship in Carp, Ont. a few weeks ago, earning a bronze medal in that contest as well.
With this, the Saints continued a streak of four straight national medals, including back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.
It was also a year of accolades for the Saints Women's Softball team, with four players recognized at the annual OCAA League Awards.
Fourth-year shortstop Shae-Lyn Murphy (Windsor, ON/Holy Names), Fourth-year outfielder Judy Lafleur (Essex, ON/Essex) and Second-year third baseman Reese Grondin (LaSalle, ON/St. Thomas of Villanova) were all selected to the OCAA First-Team All-Star group.
Lafleur was sixth in league batting with a .475 average adding 17 RBI while scoring 28 times (OCAA fifth) to go with 13 stolen bases, which stood fourth in the province.
With a late-season surge, Murphy elevated her batting average to .400 finishing with 12 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 21 runs scored.
Grondin clubbed four home runs and drove in 25 runs ranking fourth in those OCAA categories while batting .358 on the year.
First-year St. Clair pitcher and outfielder Kirsten Kipfer (Mitchell, ON) was named an OCAA Second-Team All-Star as well as making the All-Rookie Team. At the plate, Kipfer batted .313, including a pair of home runs and 18 RBI in addition to a 3-4 record in the pitching circle with a 3.50 ERA over 48.0 innings pitched.
