Team Canada Improves to 3-1 with Win over
Dominican Republic at 2015 Pan American Games

(Ajax, Ontario) The Canadian Women’s Softball Team improved its record to 3-1 at the 2015 Pan American Games after a tight 9-7 comeback win against the Dominican Republic. Pitcher Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) picked up her second win of the tournament, while Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) led the team with three hits in four at-bats.
 
Team Canada got things going early in the game with a single by Rafter who later scored on a wild pitch. Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) and Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) both followed by reaching first base on walks, but were ultimately left stranded when the Dominican Republic finished the top half of the inning off with a fly out to shortstop. The Dominican Republic came out strong in the bottom of the first as well with a lead-off triple by Danelis Ramirez but they were unable to cash her in, leaving the score 1-0 for Team Canada heading into the top of the second. The second inning remained scoreless for both teams, with each leaving one runner on base at the end of their at-bat.
 
In the top of the third inning, Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, BC) used her speed to get her to first on a bunt. Rafter followed with a run-scoring double to increase Canada’s lead to 2-0. A single from Polidori then brought Rafter around the bases for a run, and a single from Megan Gurski (Dalmeny, SK) followed by a walk by Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) loaded the bases. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON) then singled to score Polidori to extend Canada’s lead to 4-0. The Dominican defence managed to get out of the inning by getting a force out at home plate and drawing a fly ball to centerfield for the catch, minimizing the damage. Canada held the Dominican Republic offence down with two strikeouts and an out on a bunt to Rafter. 
 
In the top of the fourth, Canada added to their score with Franklin reaching first on a walk, stealing second, and later scoring on a sacrifice fly by Polidori. In the bottom of the fourth, the Dominican Republic got on the board with a two-run homerun by Geraldina Feliz, making the score 5-2 after four complete innings.
 
Despite loading the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth inning, Canada was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and was eventually retired with two runners left on base. In the bottom half of the fifth, the Dominican Republic came full-force, putting the ball in play and forcing errors in the infield to score four runs, giving them a 6-5 lead heading into the sixth. 
 
Canada went scoreless in the top of the sixth, and with one more at-bat left, went out to defend against the Dominican Republic’s offence. The bottom of the sixth allowed the Dominican Republic to extend their lead to 7-5 with a triple by Yuderca Matos, and she went on to score on an error. 
 
Canada’s last chance at bat started off with Timpf connecting for a triple hit to the fence, then scoring on a wild pitch. With two outs and Canada still down by one run, Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) drew a walk to reach first, followed by Franklin reaching on a bunt. Rafter stepped up to the plate and smacked a single to left field, with Elizabeth Vicioso committing an error to allow Rafter to reach third and Yee and Franklin to score. Salling followed with a run-scoring single to bring Rafter home for a 9-7 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. With Canada needing three more outs for the win, the crowd was on their feet as the team took to the field. Groenewegen came out strong, giving the Dominican Republic’s batters no leeway and striking out the side for an exciting finish to a very close game.
 
Box Score: Canada 9 vs. Dominican Republic 7
 
Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) started the game by pitching four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and striking out five batters. Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) came in to relieve Cater and gave up four runs with only one being earned on three hits in her one inning. Groenewegen finished off the game and earned the win for Canada, with two innings pitched, allowing one hit, and striking out five. Canada ended the game with a total of twelve hits, including three by Rafter and two each by Franklin and Timpf. 
 
Earlier in the day, Puerto Rico beat Brazil 2-0 in a full seven innings of play, while the United States beat Cuba 9-2 after six innings.
 
Team Canada (3-1) will finish its Pan American Games preliminary round schedule with a big game against Puerto Rico (3-1) at 7:00pm EDT on Thursday with second place on the line.