June 25, 2006
Canada closes out the Ontario Tour losing to the Riptide 4 to 2.
(Kitchener, ON) - Canada closed out their Ontario Tour on Sunday at Peter Hallman Ball Yard with the Senior Women's National Team with a loss to the New England Riptide of the National Pro Fastpitch League.
The Riptide's pitching continued to frustrate Canada's offence as Canada struggled to produce hits early in the game. Danielle Henderson (Commack, NY) picked up the win for New England holding Canada to only one hit until the sixth inning.
New England took to an early lead off of a Lyndsey Angus (Leominster, MA) lead off home run in the top of the second and a Tarrah Beyster (San Diego, CA) solo home run in the top of the fourth. The Riptide continued to increase their lead in the fifth with Beyster sacrificing to score Kristin Vesely (Phoenix, AZ) and Jackie Pasquerella (Bayshore, NY) stealing home to give the Riptide a four run lead late in the game.
Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) picked up the loss giving up five hits including two home runs in just over four innings of work. Kaila Holtz (North Vancouver, BC) came to Lawrie's relief and shut down the Riptide's offence giving up only one hit.
Jennifer Salling's (Port Coquitlam, BC) solid defensive work in the top of the sixth inning shifted momentum and allowed Canada to start a rally in the bottom of the inning on a Tamra Howren (Surrey, BC) double scoring Alison Bradley (Pinkerton, ON) cutting the Riptide's lead to three runs.
Canada continued to pressure early in the seventh with three hits including an RBi single from Kristy Odamura (Richmond, BC) cutting the Riptide's lead to two and forcing Jocelyn Forest (Berkeley, CA) to enter the game and relieve Henderson. Forest gave up one hit before eventually putting an end to Canada's comeback.
"The good news" admitted Lori Sippel, Women's National Team Head Coach "is that we have fight and we do not give up. We just need to come out stronger and play in a way that the fight is not required."
"In spite of our three losses I feel we are moving in the right direction" added Sippel. "In terms of what we wanted out of the camp, we just need to make these games count by using them as a stepping stone to where we want to go."
The Senior Women's National Team will relocate to Surrey, BC as they prepare to compete in the 13th Canada Cup from July 1st to July 9th. For complete statistical information including game sheets, please visit www.softball.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Rick Picard
Director, Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
rpicard@softball.ca
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
(613) 558-4663 (Cell)
