Canadawins two in Canada Cup playoffs, will meet USA
July 11, 2009
Surrey, BC
Canadawins two in Canada Cup playoffs, will meet USA
(Surrey,BC) – The Canadian Senior Women’s National Softball Team won two games on thefirst day of the double-knockout playoff round, knocking off Venezuela 8-3before shutting out Team T.F.S. International by a 2-0 score. The two winsearned Canada yet another showdown with the United States in the 1 vs. 2 gameSaturday night (6:30pm PDT).
Intheir first game of the day, Venezuela quickly took a 1-0 lead in the bottom ofthe first inning, but Canada responded in a big way by scoring six runs withtwo outs in the top of the second. Sheena Lawrick (Calgary,AB) led off with a single which was followed by a walk by Megan Timpf (Port Dover,ON). After a strikeout, CaitlinLever (Buffalo, New York) singled, but Lawrick was then thrown out at thirdon the play for the second out. Melanie Matthews (Surrey,BC) then smashes an RBI single to score Timpf, followed by another RBI singleoff the bat of EvelynePare (Île-Perrot, QC) to push Lever to the plate. After a walk to Jennifer Salling (PortCoquitlam, BC) to load up the bases, Jennifer Yee (NorthDelta, BC) smacked a base clearing double, and later scored on an error.
Venezuelachipped into the lead with a solo homerun by Yurubi Alicart in the bottom ofthe third to reduce the lead to 6-2, but Canada added two more insurance runsin their half of the fifth. Caitlin Lever and Melanie Matthews hit back-to-backsingles, and Jennifer Salling later cracked a two-run single to increase Canada’slead to 8-2. Venezuela scored a run in the bottom of the seventh but was unableto come back
Danielle Lawrie (Langley,BC) earned the complete-game win for Canada, as she allowed three runs on sevenhits, striking out eight Venezuelan hitters. Canada scored six runs offVenezuelan starter Mariangee Bogado, who had beaten Lawrie and the Canadiansquad 1-0 in the tournament opener.
EvelynePare led Canada at the plate, collecting three singles, driving in one andstealing two bases. Caitlin Lever also chipped in with three hits and scoredtwo runs, while Melanie Matthews, Jennifer Salling, Jennifer Yee and SheenaLawrick all had two hits.
Inthe evening game, JennaCaira (Toronto, ON) limited Team T.F.S International to four hits over fourinnings before Lawrie came in to pitch three hitless innings to earn the save.Canada got on the board in the bottom of the first, as Melanie Matthews led offthe inning with a single and advanced to second, advanced to third on a wildpitch and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Jennifer Salling. Canada addedan insurance run in the third when Sheena Lawrick hit a solo homerun, givingCanada a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
Cairaearned the win in the pitchers circle by throwing four scoreless innings,striking out four batters. Lawrie notched the save, striking out four batters.At the plate, Melanie Matthews, Jennifer Yee (double and single) and CaitlinLever (double and single) all had two hits, while Lawrick had the big homerunand Victoria Hayward(Mountain View, California) chipped in with a single.
Withthe two wins, Canada has earned a matchup with USA in the 1 vs. 2 playoff gameSaturday night (6:30pm PDT), and has guaranteed itself a medal. As per the Pageplayoff system, the winner of the 1 vs. 2 game will earn a direct berth toSunday’s final, while the losing team will need to win the Bronze medal game toearn a spot in the final.
Inother action in the playoff round of the Canada Cup, the United States beat theCalifornia Goldrush club team 10-0, and then defeated Australia by a 2-0 score.Australia had beaten the California Activities 4-1 earlier in the day. TeamT.F.S International earned a shot at Canada by beating the Netherlands 6-1 intheir first playoff game.
Forlive scores and results, please visit the Canada Cup website at www.canadacup.com.
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Formore information, please contact:
GillesLeBlanc
Manager– Marketing and Communications
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 x3105
