FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11th, 2011

Junior Women's National Team Wins Two at Canadian Open Fastpitch Futures Championship

(Surrey, BC) The Canadian Junior Women's National Team opened their 2011 schedule today with a pair of games at the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch Futures Gold (U19) International Championship, winning by a score of 11-1 over the Richmond Islanders 94 and 11-4 over the White Rock Renegades 92. Both games ended on the run rule.

In the first game against the Richmond Islanders, Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) walked and scored on a double by Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) to begin the game. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON) was hit by a pitch and stole second base later in the inning before Jaycee Affeldt (Maple Ridge, BC) drove both runners in with a single. After Canada was held off the score sheet in the second inning, Richmond managed to get runners on base with a walk and a hit, and scored a run on an error.

The Team Canada bats came alive in the bottom of the third. Erika Polidori led off with a double and scored on a single by Taylor Beck (BC). Natalie Wideman followed that with a single of her own, and both Beck and Wideman scored on a single by Affeldt. Brigitte Aizprua (Terrebonne, QC) and Victoria Hayward each added two-run singles before Taylor Beck ended the game with an RBI single, giving Canada the 11-1 win.

Natalie Becker (Waterloo, ON) earned the pitching win, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks to go along with five strikeouts. Erika Polidori led the way on offence with three hits, while Taylor Beck and Jaycee Affeldt each added two.

In the second game, Team Canada opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Victoria Hayward and Jennifer Gilbert (Saskatoon, SK) were both walked, and moved around the bases with Hayward scoring on a wild pitch. Gilbert scored on an error, and Carey-Leigh Thomas (Oshweken, ON) later crossed the plate on another wild pitch, giving Canada a 3-0 lead. White Rock came back with two runs of their own in the top of the second inning, and added two more in the third to take a 4-3 lead. The red and white responded in their half of the third on an RBI single by Thomas to tie the game 4-4.

Everything became unraveled for the Renegades in the fourth. After the two first batters were retired, Victoria Hayward reached on a single, and Jennifer Gilbert was hit by a pitch and was replaced by Brigitte Aizprua on the bases. Erika Polidori walked to load the bases, and Hayward raced in to score on a wild pitch. From there, the Renegades pitcher lost all control on her pitches, walking the next five batters and allowing six runs to score on wild pitches, with no other Renegade pitchers available to stop the bleeding. The Renegades went down in order in the fifth, giving Canada the 11-4 win on the run rule.

Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) started the game in the pitcher's circle for Team Canada, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. Madison Schreyer (Winnipeg, MB) earned the victory in relief, pitching two hitless innings with two strikeouts.

The Canadian Junior Women's National Team (2-0) will play another doubleheader on Tuesday, taking on Okanagan Elite Gold 94(0-2) at 10:30am PDT and the Victoria Devils 93 at 3:30pm PDT.

Canada (11) vs. Richmond Islanders 94 (1) - Box Score and Play by Play

Canada (11) vs. White Rock Renegades 92 (4) - Box Score and Play by Play

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For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 797-7171
gleblanc@softball.ca