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SFU golf, softball exit season on solid rolls

Despite a disappointing end to the 2019-2020 athletic calendar for both Simon Fraser University's golf and softball teams, it was a year which included a wide variety of successes and many positive moments for both teams.

Despite a disappointing end to the 2019-2020 athletic calendar for both Simon Fraser University's golf and softball teams, it was a year which included a wide variety of successes and many positive moments for both teams.

All sports have been heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 and resulting cancellation of virtually all activities to combat the virus. Prior to the stoppage, both teams demonstrated many positive signs and momentum heading into the spring schedule, which will hopefully carry over to next season.

For the golf team, the early fall portion of their schedule saw the program make history in multiple ways. The team began the fall with a ground-breaking trip to Scotland, and followed things up with their lowest three day total score ever recorded, as they took the SMU invitational by 16 shots over the nearest competitors.

SFU started the spring golf schedule with both men's and women's sitting high in the Div. 2 west regional rankings. The men’s squad was first in the spring poll, while the women sat fourth overall in their side. Both teams launched 2020 with victories at the Concordia Invitational, and kept the good times rolling with an individual victory by Vancouver senior Scott Kerr at the CSUSB Coyote Classic in a two-hole playoff. The men finished up their season with the NDNU invitational, where Kerr had another individual top finish, placing sixth overall, while Albertan Jordan Bean finished in ninth position.

The women, meanwhile, delivered a team record 1-under 287 score on Day 2 of the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout in Alameda, Cal., to finish second overall in what would be their final event. Coquitlam’s Jaya Rampuri posted a two-day total of 149 (78, 71) to place fifth overall, while Emily Leung of Richmond and Claire Lovan of Surrey were tied at 14th overall.

For softball, the season really couldn't have gotten off to a much better start, as SFU was 13-5 overall and 7-1 in the GNAC. Simon Fraser began the season with a 3-1 weekend against Western Washington, following that up with a 4-0 weekend against MSUB. Hosting Montana State University Billings, the Clan recorded back to back walk-off wins, following up their walk off success from the week before.

Offensively, leading the way for SFU this season was Surrey’s Alex Ogg with a .521 batting average, nine doubles and 15 RBI. Junior Hannah Finkelstein of Richmond was the tops in RBI with 20, while senior catcher Amanda Janes, a Brampton, Ont. native, was the team’s top power hitter with six home runs and a .705 slugging percentage. In the circle, Kitchener, Ont.’s Anissa Zacharczuk was the top performer with a 10-0 record, a 3.58 ERA and 25 strikeouts.