FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16th, 2011
Canadian Junior National Team Stays Alive at Canadian Open Futures Championship (Surrey, BC) The Canadian Junior Women's National Team stayed alive at the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch Futures Gold (U19) International Championship on Saturday. In a rain-filled opening game at 8:00am PDT, Team Canada powered past the White Rock Renegades 92 team by a score of 7-0 in six innings. Later in the day, the Canadian team defeated the Fraser Valley Fusion 94 team by a score of 8-0 in five innings, and was also ahead of the Surrey Storm 93 team by a score of 5-0 after two and a half innings before the game was suspended due to inclement weather.
Against the White Rock Renegades 92, both teams were tentative in the first few innings, with both teams leaving two runners on base in the second. In the bottom of the third, Jennifer Gilbert (Saskatoon, SK) sparked the offence with a leadoff triple, while Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) reached on a fielder's choice and Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) singled to load the bases with nobody out. After two force outs at home, Taylor Beck (Vancouver, BC) fouled off several pitches before forcing a walk, bringing in the first run of the game. However, that was all Canada was able to score in the inning.
The red and white went back to work the following inning, as Shelby Lia (Whitby, ON) led off with a single and moved up to second on a ground out. Jennifer Gilbert singled to score Lia, and after a walk by Hayward, Canada was able to get runners on second and third. Carey-Leigh Thomas (Oshweken, ON) then lined a pitch into left field to bring both runners in to score as Canada took a 4-0 lead.
Canada would round out the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. Victoria Hayward hit a leadoff single, and scored on a double by Polidori deep to left field just inside the foul line. Carey-Leigh Thomas followed that up with an RBI single to score Polidori, and later scored on a single by Kirsten Grant (Oakville, ON) as Canada secured the 7-0 run-ahead rule win.
In the pitcher's circle, Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) was stellar for Canada, allowing four hits and a walk while notching eight strikeouts in six innings pitched. Gilbert and Grant each had three hits for Canada, while Polidori and Thomas each had two.
In the second game against the Fraser Valley Fusion 94 team, the red and white did not waste any time to take the lead. In the bottom of the first inning, Jennifer Gilbert, Victoria Hayward and Erika Polidori all singled to load the bases, and Carey-Leigh Thomas followed up with a two-run double. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON) later doubled in two more runs to give Canada a 4-0 lead. The following inning, Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, BC) and Jennifer Gilbert each singled, and Franklin came in to score when the catcher overthrew second base on a double steal.
After Jaycee Affeldt (Maple Ridge, BC) led off the bottom of the third with a solo homerun to left center field, Erika Polidori launched a two-run homerun of her own in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 8-0. Canada shut the door on defense to secure the win.
Karissa Hovinga started the game again for Canada, pitching hitless two innings with two strikeouts before being replaced by Jaycee Affeldt who pitched the last three innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Gilbert, Hayward and Polidori all had two hits for Canada.
The suspended game between Canada and Surrey Storm 93 will be resumed at 8:00am PDT on Sunday morning, with the winner of that game moving on to play at 1:30pm PDT. The final is set for 4:00pm PDT, with the grand final being played at 6:30pm PDT.
Team Canada (7) vs. White Rock Renegades 92 (0) - Box Score and Play by Play Team Canada (8) vs. Fraser Valley Fusion 94 (0) - Box Score and Play by Play -SC-
For more information, please contact:
Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 797-7171
gleblanc@softball.ca 
