McMaster fastpitch ends season with major accolades

McMaster's fastpitch team rakes in two all-star nominations as regular season winds down

Beginning their season on Sept. 9, the Marauder women’s fastpitch team faced their first opponent, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, in a doubleheader match-up. Disappointing scorelines and losses in both games seemed to set the stage for the remainder of the team’s season. 

As the year went on, the Marauders struggled to keep pace in their league. They  finished the season with a record of two wins and 18 losses. The team’s record would leave them at the bottom of the Ontario University Softball leagues west division just below the University of Waterloo. 

Their last-place finish kept the Marauders out of this year’s playoffs, where the Varsity Blues were able to clinch the gold medal. Despite the disappointing results, two Marauder athletes excelled this past season, winning themselves OUS All- Star honours. 

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The team’s two recipients of the award were Julie Bland and Eibhlis Hopkins. Bland and Hopkins are both in their second year on the team. Bland plays as the team’s pitcher while Hopkins also pitches and plays as an outfielder.   

With at least three more years of eligibility for the two players, the Marauders fastpitch team will likely look to grow in the coming years. The team is led by head coach Manny Amaro, who has been a coach for the women’s fastpitch team since 2009. 

For their season next fall, Amaro will likely look to employ Bland and Hopkin’s skills in the new year to help the team generate better results.