Canada Opens US World Cup of Softball XI
with Combined No-Hitter over New Zealand

(Oklahoma City, OK) The Canadian Women’s National Softball Team opened their US World Cup of Softball XI schedule with a bang as Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, BC) and Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) combined for a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over New Zealand. Making her first US World Cup of Softball start since the inaugural event held in 2005, Regula only walked two and struck out three in five innings in the pitcher’s circle, while Hovinga preserved the no-hit bid by striking out two in two innings of relief.
 
Regula got two quick outs to start the top of the first before issuing a walk, and the next batter popped out. Team Canada did most of its offensive damage in the bottom of the frame, as Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) worked a one-out walk and immediately scored on a two-run homerun to right field by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON). Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) followed that up by forcing a walk and beat out the throw to second on a ground ball to the shortstop as Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) reached on the fielder’s choice. A ground out advanced the runners to second and third before Megan Gurski (Dalmeny, SK) singled to right to score both and give Canada an early 4-0 lead.
 
The following inning, Regula issued another two-out walk but got the next batter to ground out back to her for the third out. In the bottom of the inning, Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) led off with a double to center and was sacrificed over to third by Lye before scoring on a single by Rafter. After both teams went down in order in the third, Canada put more pressure on when Hayward led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout, but she was retired at third on a fielder’s choice. Logan White (Brantford, ON) and Rafter each singled in the sixth but were left stranded.
 
Regula sat New Zealand down in order in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings and Hovinga did the same in the sixth and seventh innings to keep New Zealand out of the hit column.
 
Rafter led the way offensively with a homerun, two singles and three runs batted in, while Hayward added a double and a single. Gurski contributed a two-run single and White registered a single to round out Canada’s seven hits.
 
Box Score: Canada 5 vs. New Zealand 0
 
Team Canada (1-0) will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on the Netherlands (0-1) at 12:30pm CDT in Oklahoma City. Live scoring and web streaming is available through USA Softball’s website.