USAedges Canada to win Gold medal at Canada Cup
July 13, 2009
Surrey, BC
USAedges Canada to win Gold medal at Canada Cup
(Surrey,BC) – The Canadian Senior Women’s National Softball Team came very close tobeating the United States in the Championship game of the Canada Cup, but USAscored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn the win. Afterscoring two runs and taking a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth, the Americanstook advantage of two costly errors to escape with the win. Earlier in the day,Canada defeated Venezuela 6-0 to earn yet another shot at the Americans in theChampionship game.
Inthe afternoon Bronze medal game, Canada jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the topof the first and added single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings tocome out with the 6-0 win. In the top of the first, Melanie Matthews (Surrey,BC) led off with a single, Victoria Hayward (Mountain View, California) walkedand Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) reached on a fielder’s choice to loadthe bases, setting the stage for a two-run double by Jennifer Yee (North Delta,BC). Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) then hit a sacrifice fly to push the thirdrun in to score.
Canadaadded another run in the second, when Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, New York) doubledand later scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Yee drove in Hayward fromsecond with a single to increase the lead to 5-0, and Jessica Tieszen (Surrey, BC)crossed the plate on an error in the fifth to round out the scoring.
JennaCaira (Toronto, ON) fired a complete-game one-hitter for Canada, striking outnine batters and walking three. Jennifer Yee was three-for-four with three runsbatted in, while Kelsey Haberl (Burnaby, BC) and Caitlin Lever each registeredtwo hits. Melanie Matthews and Jessica Tieszen each added hits, while Matthewsand Hayward added stolen bases.
Inthe Championship game, Canada put early pressure on pitcher Cat Osterman andthe United States in the top of the first inning, when Megan Timpf (Port Dover,ON) was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Jennifer Salling.However, Osterman was able to pitch out of the jam by getting the next twohitters to ground out, leaving Timpf and Salling stranded at second and third.
Canadasurvived a scare in the bottom of the third inning, when the Americans hitthree straight singles to load the bases with one out, but Daniel Lawrie(Langley, C-B) forced the next hitter to lineout to third base for a doubleplay. Canada built off that boost as Salling knocked her second hit of thenight for a double to lead off the inning, and later moved to third. However,Osterman was once again able to get out of the inning without giving up a run.
AfterOsterman struck out the side in the top of the fifth, USA opened the scoringwith a run in the bottom half of the inning, after Andrea Duran led off with atriple and scored on an RBI groundout by Ashley Charters. Canada did not wasteany time responding, as Salling reached on a one-out walk and scored on afielder’s choice by Jennifer Yee, who raced around to third on the very sameplay. Sheena Lawrick also hit into a fielder’s choice to push Yee in to score,giving Canada a 2-1 lead. USA threatened to tie the game in the bottom of theinning, as Ashley Hanson and Vicky Galindo both hit infield singles, but Canadaescaped the inning when Jenna Caira relieved Lawrie in the pitcher’s circle andinduced a ground ball out.
AfterOsterman struck out the side in the top of the seventh, the Americans came tolife in the bottom of the inning. Ashley Charters led off by reaching on anerror, followed by a single by Natasha Watley. After a fielder’s choice forcedCharters out at third for the first out, Alissa Haber reached on another errorto load the bases once again. Kaitlin Cochran then hit a sacrifice fly to tiethe game, before Jennie Finch hit a ground ball, allowing Caitlin Lowe to racein to score from third before Canada could get a force out.
DanielleLawrie pitched 5 2/3 innings for Canada, scattering nine hits while onlyallowing one run, striking out two batters. Jenna Caira was saddled with theloss despite not giving up an earned run, allowing one hit over one inning ofrelief. The Canadian defense committed five errors on the night.
Ostermanpitched the complete-game win for the United States, allowing two unearned runson only two hits, both to Jennifer Salling. She struck out 14 batters.
TheUnited States were awarded with the Gold medal, while Canada was given theSilver. Venezuela took the Bronze.
BothCanada and the United States will compete in the KFC World Cup of Softballlater this week in Oklahoma City, OK, as the tournament will run from July 16thto 20th. Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia will alsoparticipate in the event. The event will also feature the Men’s Slo-PitchBorder Battle between USA and Canada, which will be played at the same venue onJuly 18th (3:00pm CDT start time).
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Formore information, please contact:
GillesLeBlanc
Manager– Marketing and Communications
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 x3105
